The Delinquent Uchiha
by SilverRoseSpectre
Summary: Sasuke is a high school bad boy who can't pick his fights properly and earned his way into Juvie. Sakura is a enthusiastic, optimistic volunteer sent in to shape him up into a better student. There are no foreseeable problems with this arrangement. SasuSaku. T for swearing!
1. Chapter 1

a/n: well, I don't normally do pairings that don't actually exist, because I think if they don't exist it's for a reason. I would normally make an OC and do it that way but this pairing is so popular, I kind of like it myself, and this idea was vaguely floating around and I thought I could make something of it and they fit the bill- so here I am.

I don't know anything about juvie - I'm kind of just going with how I imagine it would be so please bare that in mind but if something is so HORRIBLY inaccurate that it's offensive, please do tell me and I'll correct it. Otherwise, I'm just making it up completely. Thankfully this is fiction, so I don't have to be perfect but I guess I would love to hear if anyone does have anything they know about juvie because it might inspire me!

Disclaimer: I am not a Japanese man by the name of Masashi Kishimoto, and I do not own Naruto. But I'm quite glad I don't. I'd butcher it!

Anyway, here goes...

* * *

Sasuke falsely yawned as he sat at the metallic gray table, scratching off the dull paint work to reveal the shiny interior. He was tired of waiting here for some goofball over-achiever to come along and feed him optimistic bullshit. There was no one to rile up with an offensive stare or smirk and nothing vaguely interesting on the chipping magnolia walls to look at. His thumb was numb from rubbing constantly, he'd been at it that long.

"Uchiha," came a call, 10 endless minutes later.

Sasuke grunted in reply, looking up at the officer near the locked gateway. He received what was presumably a pleasant look but the only clue was a single eye that was creased in kindness. Kakashi - some kind of liaison officer between his high school and the juvenile detention centre. He stood with a female by his side.

Sasuke blinked. He wasn't expecting some ditzy, attention seeking kid with cotton candy pink hair. She was slender, with the kind of curves that you really had to squint to see, and was a bit taller than the average girl, but still small. Her eyes were a soft green, kind - understanding - intelligent. She walked with purpose as she strode alongside Kakashi and held her hand out in greeting when she reached the table.

"Hi. I'm Sakura Haruno. Nice to meet you," she offered. Sasuke looked at her hand first, then to her eyes. Then, he fixed his gaze onto Kakashi.

"Too plain. Get me another one."

* * *

Sakura's smile fell down slightly and twisted into a grimace instead. What was the boy on about? He kept his focus on Officer Kakashi as Sakura's hand wilted down to her side.

"... Another one, Sasuke?" asked Kakashi, also thrown by the request.

"Another voluntary worker, buddy - sycophant - whatever you call them these days. This one is too plain, I said," ground out Sasuke Uchiha through his teeth.

She was 'too plain'? She'd never heard of such a thing. She was highly regarded as quite exotic, in fact, by her peers. Her appearance alone was enough to mark her out as anything but 'plain' and her personality was also vibrant and not... _plain_. What... was this guy talking about?!

"I'm afraid it doesn't work like that," said Kakashi, pulling out a seat for her before taking his own. "Let me explain how this will work-"

"No," said Sasuke quickly, blank faced. Kakshi stared him down.

"You don't make the rules. You're here because of the poor choices you made and now the freedom to make your own basic decisions, like this one, is no longer yours. Capiche?"

"_Capiche_," sneered Sasuke.

Sakura privately glowered. When she accepted this voluntary position in the Juvenile Detention Centre, she expected to come across a wayward soul who needed purpose in their life. She was hoping for a female who she could natter and gossip with. Someone she could open up to a new lease of life so they didn't spend it in the criminal system instead. Instead, she was tasked with a rather handsome, if not obnoxious, young man who didn't look like he cared whether or not he remained in the system.

She'd heard of _Sasuke Uchiha_. Not many good things, at that.

"Sakura here will be coming by to visit you ever Monday, Thursday and Friday. She's going to be your buddy through your time here and she'll help when it comes to reintegrating you back into school."

"Why not Naruto? Why this... girl?"

"Because Naruto was _involved_ in the incident. And besides, you did nothing but mess around for a term before getting your sorry self back in here. Sakura is much more responsible and level-headed and if you want to graduate, you're going to need a little bit of that yourself. Anyway, as I was saying!" Kakashi brushed off with a clap of his hands. "If you have any issues, any requests, need help with your homework or class work, she's your go-to-girl. She knows all the rules so there's no wheedling your way around them," he warned, catching the look in the younger males eyes. This earned him a sour look. "She's just going to be company for you to make this all a little more bearable. Remember, she's doing this in her own time out of the kindness of her heart so _behave_."

"I didn't ask her to help me. I don't need her help. You can go," said Sasuke, finally addressing Sakura directly and glaring straight through her. She hoped the cringe that passed over her wasn't visible but his growing smirk suggested it was less-than-subtle.

"N-no. I'm staying," said Sakura, trying to unearth her determination. "Even if you don't want me here, I want to be here and that's enough reason for me to stick this out. ... Maybe we'll warm up to each other," she offered optimistically.

"Hah."

"Well, you should at least try," piped up Kakashi, folding his arms. "You're stuck with each other for the best part of 7 months. 6 whilst your in here and 1 months reintegration period at school. Sakura is a junior student at Konohagakure Academy."

"Good. For. Her," quipped Sasuke boredly.

"Right... well, I think that wraps things up for now. Get back to your dorm, Sasuke. Sakura - you're coming with me so we can sort out everything you'll need to begin tomorrow."

"Goodbye Sasuke-kun! See you tomorrow!" said Sakura brightly, trying to rise above it and take a hopeful edge on the situation. She waved once and flounced off to the gateway, only to sag her shoulders when she was out of sight. Kakashi was with her moments later, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"He'll get used to you eventually, he's just stubborn. He's had a tough time."

"I've heard rumours, but what's actually gone on his life?" she asked, tucking her hair behind her ear and standing straight, keen to listen. To analyse. Kakashi paused in his step and glanced up thoughtfully with his lone eye.

"That's not for me to discuss. You should ask him yourself once he's warmed up to you," he concluded.

_Yeah right_ sighed Sakura mentally. It would take a lifetime to make friends with a guy like Sasuke Uchiha.


	2. Chapter 2

a/n: my mind was a bit blown by the sudden influx of emails to notify me of things! I would like to thank everyone following, or who has favorited and to the guest review-er. I'd thank you more personally, but you're a guest so it's not an option!

I'm just flowing with this, in truth. I do have a vague idea for where I'm taking it and short bits and pieces lined out. Hopefully I don't lose track of things. Sakura, I've discovered, is strangely difficult to give character to. I need to brainstorm that one probably hehe!

Enjoy the next chapter. I wrote it as soon as humanely possible because I was so excited by the e-mails!

* * *

Time passed fast, and yet slow. But no matter what speed it went, Sakura still found that all too quickly she was waiting to be let in to Sasuke Uchiha's dorm room to begin her first day as his 'buddy'. Kakashi had specifically approached her for this role, one rainy school afternoon. Eager to please her superiors, Sakura had instantly agreed. She saw it as an opportunity to gain experience in helping others and to do something noble. Suddenly, the less-noble option of pounding fists to Uchiha-faces seemed much more appealing.

He didn't bother to look up as she entered but kept his eyes pinned down to his book instead. He didn't so much as grunt. He was sprawled out on his bed with his jumpsuit unfastened, pooled at his waist and his torso completely exposed. It was beautifully intimidating. He _knew _Sakura was coming at this time and it somehow seemed as deliberate as his ignorance.

"H-Hi, Sasuke-kun," she stammered, waving slightly and remembering the pleasantries she'd vowed to take in her time here.

"Hn."

That was all he offered. Sakura stood around awkwardly for a moment more before pulling out the chair at his desk and sitting down slowly. Sasuke slammed his book shut, making her jump slightly.

"I didn't invite you to sit down. In fact, I was just about to invite you to leave and not waste your time."

"That's very thoughtful of you but that's not a very good invitation," she answered back. "Listen, Sasuke-kun. I have quite a temper. I'd hate for you to invoke my wrath."

"_Your wrath_?" snorted Sasuke. "Why would you intentionally tell me that when you _know _I don't like you?"

"I was hoping to appeal to your humanity."

"Have you seen where we are? Do you really think this is the kind of place where you'd find 'humanity'?"

He'd put his book aside whilst grilling her and sat up, intrigued against his will in bantering with this strange girl. He caught himself though, just in time, before he seemed too eager and too involved in their little debate and laid back, pulling his pillow around his head comfortable.

"Go. This is my nap time."

"I'll stay."

"Jeez you're annoying."

"Thank you."

"Wasn't a compliment."

"I'll take what I can get."

"Desperate."

"Thug."

"..."

"..."

"Shut up. I want to sleep."

"Good night then, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke snarled and turned away completely, almost embedding himself into the wall in an effort to ignore her. She took it in her stride, finding some small grain of amusement in their exchange. Instead of letting his attitude annoy her she turned around at his desk and looked at the books on his shelf and eventually pulled one out.

The shuffling caught Sasuke's attention and he cautiously peeked over his shoulder. She was seemingly engrossed in one of his class textbooks. _Oh no. _he thought. _Kakashi gave me a studious geek for a companion. I cannot go to school with __**that **__hanging on my reputation. I need to get her to leave and give up. _

Sakura vaguely felt the prickle of someone watching her and there was only one culprit but she decided to keep her back turned. If she kept looking at his _body_ any longer, she'd jump him. If he wasn't in here for disorderly behavior, he'd just be in for criminally good looks instead. She sniggered to herself at the idea and sat back, yawning gracelessly and glancing up.

_Oh_ she pondered slowly _Those are very beautiful eyes. Coal, but there's bits of gray and blue. _She tilted her head, letting it loll slightly towards her shoulder and blinked. The eyes had an owner, and a voice.

"Are you high?"

There was a pregnant pause before all hell broke loose. Sakura bolted to her feet clumsily, shoving the chair back which belted Sasuke in the abdomen and left him winded. Before he could nurse this, Sakura had her palms firmly on his chest and slammed him back against the bed, scrambling over to the opposite side of the room to get as far away from him as possible. He lost his footing and caught his head on the wall behind him which left the world waving slightly.

Whilst being beaten about by this lithe slip of a girl, Sasuke was struck with a realization: he genuinely _didn't _want to 'invoke her wrath'. She'd be taking his place in Juvie whilst he left in a body bag. If she caught him unawares, that is, like she just did. It was a daunting thought, but somehow the most daunting thought was that his brother would stand in front of his grave and call him 'foolish' but find some humor in the idea that he was beaten to death by a girl who might just have been an overgrown fairy - a _buff_ overgrown fairy.

"Sasuke!" cried Sakura breathlessly as she unfurled from the corner of the room she'd hidden in. She scuttled over and tried to comfort him but his bare chest was getting the way and so she ended up clumsily waving her hands about in front of him. Sasuke lamely swiped at her so she'd stop. There was enough unnatural motion going on before his eyes without her adding to it. "I'll get ice packs!" decided Sakura finally, backing away from him.

She was out of the door before he could object. He blinked at where she had just been when a thought occurred to him. She'd left the dorm with an awful lot of ease, just now. Despite his wooziness, he heaved himself off the lumpy mattress and ventured towards the door, reaching for the handle. His hand slid down the smooth cold metal, probing for the jutted-out fixture but his hand kept meeting a flat surface.

"What the-?"

There wasn't a door handle. His face fell as he stared ahead. Was he just being dumb? Had there never been a handle or had it... fallen off? How could she have gotten out of here if there was no fricken handle?

He carried on staring blankly right until the moment Sakura came back with an armful of ice packs. He was forced to step out of the way of the door quickly to avoid getting whacked with yet another object. Sakura carefully closed the door behind her and narrowed her eyes at him, scanning him for injuries. But Sasuke turned away from her guiltily, mistaking it for suspicion. Realization adorned her expression.

"You were trying to leave," she said, smirking. Sasuke turned his head away, blatantly ignoring her. He heard Sakura laugh. "You need a key card which triggers the mechanism to push the door back slightly. I suppose, if that mechanism ever failed, I'd be stuck in here the same as you."

"You _deserve it,_" he spat. "That was battery, just now."

"You want me locked in here with you?" she taunted, fluttering her lashes at him. She was privately surprised with herself but tried not to let it show, lest Sasuke lose the look of absolute horror he was currently wearing. "Should I rough you up a bit more?"

"Hn," growled out Sasuke, snatching one of the ice packs. Sakura took it back just as swiftly.

"You're not allowed to have hold of these. You might use them as a weapon."

Sasuke raised a brow, the undertone of it being a questioning '_seriously?!' _but Sakura just waved the pack and pointed at the bed. Grunting and huffing to himself, he parked his backside down on the poor excuse for a bed and chose to displace his angered glare onto the wall instead of looking at her. Because if he looked at her, he might just start laughing at things because deep down he found it humorous too. It was the most entertaining experience he'd had in a while.

"Stop sulking," she said, pinching his cheek. His eyes inadvertently shot up to meet hers. "Your face will get stuck, Sasuke-kun!"

"Don't touch me," he grunted. That was a fruitless request - she already was.

The rest of the time was passed with him throwing sour looks towards her and her returning the exchange with a light smile. When it was time for her to leave, after 1 and 1/2 hours, she stood and headed to the door with a pleasant farewell. Sasuke kept his head turned towards the slim window so he wouldn't have to face her. Otherwise, she'd see his smile.


	3. Chapter 3

a/n: my reason for beginning this fic was because I needed something to keep me writing so that I wouldn't neglect my other fic that I have going on. And it's actually worked, this has been highly motivational. It's amusing how I believed that 20 views a day was quite healthy. My brain is just exploding currently. I'm working on both and I'm having a lot of fun! And thank you so much to everyone who's shown an interest.

* * *

"So, if I understood correctly, you're flaking on us tonight, the night we had planned **forever **ago, to go spend time in a stuffy juvie center with some sociopaths?"

"No, just the one."

"Foooreheaaad!"

"No, Piggy! I have responsibilities; not that you'd know anything about those."

For the past 15 minutes at the end of the school day, self-appointed best friend Ino Yamanaka had been attempting to persuade Sakura to a sleepover. It was true it had been planned for a while but they had all the time in the world and Sakura had warned Ino a whole week ago she couldn't make it. Ino tried to bribe her; there would be chocolates, movies and best of all - **_gossip. _**And that should've been enough for any girl to forget about putting in some optional hours into a voluntary job.

But Ino Yamanaka would have to try harder than that to deter the ever dutiful Sakura Haruno.

"Grab her arm, Hina," barked Ino, like a drill instructor.

Chewing her lip and glancing down meekly at her shoes, Hinata Hyuuga hooked her arm around Sakura's loosely. There wasn't nearly enough strength in the motion to hold Sakura back. Sakura, who could fight with a bull... and win. Hinata, the optionally-appointed best friend, gazed up at Sakura with an apologetic smile for participating in the crazy pig-lady's schemes.

"_Yamanka_. Officer Kakashi is depending on me for this. And I want to help Sasuke."

"Sasuke..?" asked Ino quietly, looking distant for a second.

"U-Uchiha," offered Hinata.

"Uchiha! Sasuke Uchiha! You mean, the hot badass senior Sasuke Uchiha?! Hangs about with Hina's beau?"

"Beau?" snorted Sakura. "Yes. The hot badass Uchiha."

"N-Naruto isn't my... he isn't my... b-beau."

Hinata went unheard.

"Your his _buddy_? Is that a euphemism?"

"No! I'm his Buddy. His free-to-roam cellmate. Ino, who says 'beau' in casual conversation?"

"This is so. Not. Casual! You're telling me that three out of five days a week, you're closed in, to a tiny little intimate cell - with the hottest senior that ever lived?"

"Uh, I think there's hotter..." smirked Sakura. No there wasn't. Sasuke was drop dead gorgeous. Others were just close but never close enough. Not that she'd admit as much.

"Nuh-uh! Grr, I am so _jealous_!"

"Hey, maybe if you had better grades and did your homework instead of your nails, you'd be his buddy instead! But, as it happens, you aren't me and I'm better than you - at everything. So _I'm_ his buddy. But it doesn't matter."

"Why not?"

"Turns out, his aloof attitude and lack of concern aren't just for a cool image. He's honestly a bit of a jerk," sighed Sakura. "He just sits there silently and ignores me most of the time. And when we first met, he called me 'plain'..."

Ino approached slowly, cupping Sakura's cheeks and squeezing them together. Without warning, she grabbed Sakura's wrist and yanked her along to the exit. Hinata was an additional casualty as she hadn't yet let go of Sakura's arm. Ino marched her chain out into the car park and thrust Sakura towards her car.

"If you'd told me this 20 minutes ago, I'd have told you to run as fast as you can over there. You're touching the untouchable! You go show him you're not plain! Don't dare waste this chance or I'm taking it from you," warned Ino with a threatening glare.

"Untouchable..? I-Ino!?" squawked Sakura as she was shoved into her car haphazardly. Ino looked ready to explode.

"_Drive!" _

"DRIVING!"

Sakura held her hands up and imitated holding the steering wheel whilst gaping, wide-eyed at Ino who seemed placated by the action and slammed the door shut, nodding curtly. _Aren't I supposed to be the wild one..? _Sakura thought as she buckled herself in and set off, Ino leering in her overhead mirror the whole time until she was out of sight. Sakura literally gulped once it was safe to breathe again.

* * *

"You're late," sneered Sasuke, his eyes shut as he laid with his back propped up on his pillows.

"About that..." pondered Sakura, trying to recall what it was that Kakashi always said. "Oh! I got lost on the-"

"Don't!" hissed the boy, eyes opening a fraction to glare at her. "I hear enough of that from Kakashi himself, so don't _you _start."

"You're awfully upset, Sasu-kun," she taunted, sitting on the end of his bed. He jerked his legs away as if proximity would infect him. "Should I take this as a sign you missed me?"

"No. I've got a deal for you."

_Really now? _

"...A deal?"

"I've fallen behind on some homework-"

"Let's help then!" she declared eagerly. Sasuke rolled his eyes at her and shook his head.

"That's _annoying. _Actually, it's sickening that you're such an ass-kisser. I want you to _do _some of it for me."

"Why would I do it FOR you? It'd be obvious that you didn't do it and it's cheating!"

"They wouldn't pay that much attention. And you'll do it for me because if you do - I'll give you a kiss."

Sakura's heart stopped for a beat - no, more than that. For a full minute her heart gave out and when she came back round as her body revived itself, she was dizzy and disorientated. Rumors were no girls had ever laid hands on Uchiha despite how desperately they had wanted to and here he was offering up a kiss straight to her - for the minimal cost of doing his _homework_. How hard could it be? She was already an exceptionally bright student.

This was too good to be true. She finally collected enough sense to challenge him on the matter.

"Why would I want a kiss?" she asked, trying to act like she didn't care. She even added a little shrug to the question to show indifference.

Sasuke stood up and walked to the desk, pulling out a workbook and sat down next to her, putting one arm behind her back and leaning in towards her. She reacted by backing away, initially, out of surprise but then stopped herself short. Sasuke tilted his head a little to the side and glanced down at her lips before looking into her eyes.

"Why wouldn't you?" he purred.

"Give me that," snapped Sakura, snatching the book.

She worked like a mad woman. Sasuke sat at the desk and did some of the work himself but he'd turned procrastination into a profession and Sakura was worried she would be out of time and if she didn't finish - she wouldn't get that kiss! The diligent school-girl in her couldn't allow the work to be completed to a poor standard and so she was giving it all her effort which was sapping up more of her time.

With 5 minutes left of her time she put the pen down and let out a sigh of relief, rubbing her aching wrist and leaning back against the headboard of the bed to rest for a moment. Sasuke looked out of the corner of his eye at her and raised a brow.

"Did you finish it - all?" he guffawed.

"Yeah... might've gotten sloppy at the end though my wrist hurts because I was writing so much," she groaned.

Sasuke turned around on his chair and picked her wrist up, massaging it lightly with his fingers. Sakura wouldn't have minded those fingers working magic elsewhere and briefly considered telling him her back ached worse when she noticed he seemed to be getting closer.

She gasped, aware this was the kiss in the deal they had made. She closed her eyes and let her lips part slightly in anticipation and when she could feel his breath on her lower lip she tensed up excitedly. He raised the hand he'd been massaging and closed his other around it, pushing something into her palm. She didn't care about it presently; she was just waiting for heaven.

After a few seconds, when she thought she was going to burst, she felt all her sensations change as he backed away from her. _He got cold feet... _she thought, her eyes popping open. But he was giving her a lazy smirk and looking deep into her eyes. Her jaw was slack with bewilderment until she opened her hand and found a small scrap of paper in there which she hadn't been holding before. Looking at him wearily, she opened it up and found in scratchy yet neat handwriting the words:

_Kiss, from Sasuke Uchiha_

"Bastard... you bastard!" she shrieked, standing up and scrunching the paper up in her fist. "_Swine_!" she hissed.

Sasuke didn't have time to let out a dry laugh as a fist came hurtling towards him. His neck cracked slightly with the jarring motion of his face being pummeled by a deceptively strong right-hook. He cringed at his own misfortune. He knew better than this but he couldn't stop himself. The plan had been born last night and he wasn't going to let his prank go to waste as nothing more than a fleeting idea.

Sakura loomed over his shocked form and huffed out through her nose, eyes glaring down at him maliciously before she stepped away and left faster than the eye could see. Sasuke sat up and cradled his throbbing cheek, which would likely bruise in the morning.

He told himself to remain unconcerned. It was her fault she was stupid enough to fall for that idea and he didn't need to feel bad for what he'd done because it was her desperation which got her hurt. But a small part of his mind told him what a cold person he was and left him doubting the sincerity of his apathy.

* * *

The air cooled Sakura down significantly as she stood outside the Juvenile Detention Center, breathing heavily. She'd legged it out of the place as fast as she could manage - needing the space to just _breathe_. She unfurled her hand and looked at the scrap in her palm again, glowering at his so-called 'kiss'.

If he wanted to play _funny games _then she'd be his contender. But her competitiveness was nothing to be scoffed at and she alone would have the pleasure of winning. But if she should somehow lose, he would be a loser with her. He lost the rights to victory 5 minutes ago.


	4. Chapter 4

a/n: I think I'm implementing a schedule now, for myself more than anything. Every Wednesday and Saturday.

And, I have another fic that I'm working on, _another SasuSaku, _that I'll post after I've finished this

* * *

Sasuke stabbed his plastic fork into his dinner and grunted, as if it was the offending object on his mind. Truthfully, it wasn't a _thing _that was on his mind but a _person_. He'd cockily handed in his homework to the teacher without a care in the world and when he'd received his grades back, his stomach sank. Ideally, he'd have been thrilled that his grades were so impeccable, and that he earned half an hour extra leisure time. Yet it was completely un-victorious - because he knew that he didn't achieve the grades. He was _smart _but he didn't necessarily give a damn about his grades. Sakura Haruno was altogether _genius_.

He'd resigned to the inevitable. He'd conned her out of her time and given her nothing in return. He wouldn't give her the kiss he'd pretended to offer, but he would give his apologies to her and hope that it was enough. If she didn't take it - however - he wouldn't grovel or beg. He was Sasuke Uchiha and he did not lower himself to such desperate measures. Especially not over a girl.

He had to admit however, privately to himself and no one else, that he had misjudged her. When he'd stood behind her that first time (and been beaten up thereafter) he'd taken a look at her roots. Even the best dye job couldn't hide the truth. There was no sign that her hair was dyed. And the brows he'd previously thought were brown were actually a very dark shade of pink too. That choice was out of her control entirely (unless she dyed it a color that wasn't naturally pink). And as far as her personality was concerned, she was surprisingly cheeky. A little too fawning but not sickly like he'd known some girls to be. If she had a crush, she kept herself in check very well.

He was wrong. She wasn't _plain _and her personality wasn't the same drivel as every other girls. She had a bit more spice to her and maybe he could tolerate having to spend a bit of time with her around and about school whilst he reintegrated back in. She'd probably spend all of her time nose-deep in a book anyway and not bother him too much by always being around.

He could deal with that. And strangely, he couldn't wait to apologize. He'd never apologized to anyone - not even his brother. This would be the first and last time he ever deigned to do such a thing. He snarled at his food and shoved it away before retiring back to his room.

* * *

"It's not too much trouble, is it Officer Kakashi?" asked Sakura, her hands behind her back as she swayed lightly and tilted her head, giving the masked man a pretty smile.

"No, not at all Sakura-chan. If you need to take some time out, it's still early days. It's better to do it now than later. I wouldn't be upset with you even if you dropped out. To tell the truth, I know Sasuke is a handful."

"Oh, it's not because of him," she giggled. Inner-Sakura piped up to tell her what a liar she was. "It's my cousin - his girlfriend is having a baby and we're playing taxi!"

"In that case, congratulations! I didn't expect you to give up your life for this. Even one hour a week is acceptable, I just thought having a structured time would be best."

"So does that mean if I wanted to do it on the weekend instead... that's an option?" she asked, an idea forming.

"Very much so. As long as you announce your arrival at least an hour beforehand, it's no problem."

"That's good to know! If I can get in at any point, I'll make it."

"Alright. You take care now," said Kakashi, ruffling her hair. She batted her lashes and smiled before waltzing off to meet Ino outside.

They high-fived each other as a greeting but Sakura opted to give the oh-so-demure Hinata a hug instead of a slap to the hand which seemed altogether too violent for the dainty young Hyuuga.

"I want some ice cream," said Sakura, getting straight to the point and rubbing her stomach for emphasis.

"What did Officer Kakashi say?" asked Ino, linking her arm with Sakura's. Sakura hooked her arm around Hinata's.

"He said it was fine, and I'm free as a bird!" sang Sakura. "Hopefully this will teach him for messing with me!"

"It's still kind of cute, in a way," shrugged Ino. "I know it's not the kiss you thought he was offering but from what _I've _heard about Sasuke, no girl can ever get close to him. He disappears as soon as he gets out of the classroom door somehow and he's nowhere to be found at lunch. I tried once," she said, with a dreamy sigh. "I waited outside of his class but when I blinked, he wasn't there anymore."

"But how would he even do that?"

"I dunno - why don't you ask him?"

"If I ever feel like showing up again. I could have been doing my _own _work - not HIS!"

"I think it'd do you some good to loosen up a bit, actually, and not always work so hard."

"N-no. Sakura is diligence!" insisted Hinata.

"What? She's diligence, in its entirety?" snorted Ino.

"Y-yes. In i-its entirety," repeated Hinata with an air of finality.

"This is why you're my best friend, Hina-chan," cooed Sakura, snuggling into Hinata's shoulder and making her blush.

"Hey!" snapped Ino.

"What, tag-along?"

"Ugh, _bitch_!"

* * *

Sasuke was patient. No, that was a lie. He was incredibly impatient. On the first day of her absence he hadn't really realized until the sky had gone completely dark and he looked at the time and deduced she wasn't coming at all. On the second day he was expecting her, he eyed the clock like it was his mortal enemy and felt strangely disturbed when time passed without her arrival. By Friday - he'd lost his mind.

A lot of possibilities had run through his head. First, he was triumphant. Had he succeeded in driving her away? Would Kakashi relent and make Naruto his buddy to get back into school properly with? Was he an unconscious genius? But then he thought back to his little prank and wondered if he'd messed with Sakura a bit too much? Was she actually very fragile about these matters and was now laying somewhere - a broken shadow of herself? What if she'd done something _really _drastic like gotten drunk and fallen over into a ditch and broken her neck? Kakashi hadn't even bothered coming by to explain to him why she wasn't coming by.

Friday night, he didn't sleep. He was going to use up his weekly call the moment he was allowed out to get in touch with his brother and grunt down the phone at him and get some grunts back so that he'd feel better with himself. He hardly ever got in touch, so Itachi's magical big-brother-senses would go off and he'd know something was up, but he also knew better than to ask outright.

Sasuke threw some water on his face and scratched his jaw where the slightest of stubble was growing from lack of shaving. He normally kept on top of it much better than this but it'd slipped his mind to ask for a razor. He sneered at his reflection and began to brush his teeth when the door went.

"Juff a min'it," he called through, scrubbing faster.

He spat out his paste straight at the mirror when he saw a veil of pink hair and peach skin come leaning into the doorway behind him. He whipped around, ignoring his graceless actions, and pointed his tooth brush out at her as though he were wielding a weapon.

"You!" he snapped.

"Ew! You're spraying foam everywhere!" she grimaced, lip curling up in disgust.

"Where the HELL have you been?"

"It's okay sweetie, mama's back for good this time."

Sasuke paled and turned around again, slamming the door in her face. He heard her yell in pain but he didn't care at that point. He felt livid. For her to be missing for a week and then turn up and say things like _that_?! He spat out into the sink and swiped the paste off the mirror too harshly before he finally relaxed a bit.

... She didn't know. He hadn't said anything to her about it, but her words had hurt him. His mother never was coming back, no matter how much he silently begged for such a miracle or wished for it all to be a dream. He gulped and allowed himself a moment of weakness before recomposing and opening the door.

Sakura was sat on the bed with her arms folded, huffing at the window in lieu of himself. When he glanced over at her, he saw that the tip of her nose was an irritated red tone and he knew he was the one responsible for that little injury. He hesitated subtly before striding over to sit next to her.

"My mother..." he said calmly. Sakura almost snapped her neck to look at him. "... My mother is... she died."

Sakura looked down at the floor sadly and nodded before she realized what he was getting at. A look of dread washed her over and she slapped her mouth to stifle a gasp. She looked like she wanted to throw up. Sasuke shrugged, trying to be nonchalant.

"You didn't-"

"I'm sorry!" she winced, throwing her arms around his neck unexpectedly. "I'm so, so sorry! God, I'm a bitch!"

"It's... no, you're just annoying," he teased, awkwardly patting her back as both reassurance and a request for her to unfasten herself from his person. She obliged and sat back, staring at her hands. He jabbed her sharply. "Where _were _you?"

Sakura sighed heavily and sat back, placing her hands behind her for balance. She tilted her head as she looked at him with consideration and finally smiled shyly.

"I... _was _avoiding you," she admitted. "I thought you'd feel bad if I didn't come."

"... About that-" he started.

"-Water under the bridge."

"Huh?"

"It's just water under the bridge, right? I-if I forget about what _you _did, do you think you could pretend... I didn't say what I said, too? And we just sweep it all under the rug? I'll never say anything like that again, I promise!"

"Right. That's what I was going to suggest," he nodded. But he was silently relieved, because now he didn't have to say 'sorry'. He silently thanked Sakura for being so merciful.

"My cousin had a baby! Do you want to see cute pictures?" she asked out of the blue.

Sasuke blinked in bewilderment but nodded anyway. He kind of liked babies, even if he would never say as much. Innocent little bundles of giggles and cluelessness that didn't have a care in the world. Maybe, just maybe, he was even envious of that state of mind. But _hell yes _he could look at baby pictures.

Sakura never dreamed she'd hear the word 'cute' come out of Sasuke's mouth for any reason but he proved wrong when he settled down and looked at the snaps on her phone. Best of all, he asked how small the babies hands were in comparison to his own and even looked awestruck when he matched it up to his own, much larger palm.

It was enough to make her put off her little unspoken competition - just for a bit.


	5. Chapter 5

a/n: I was thinking about it, and realised I don't know anything about school councils. Not any of them, especially not Japanese school councils... so I half-made it up from the bits and pieces I did know.

This aside, it's a long chapter to buckle up! And I want to thank reviewers and favouriters and alerters and other er's for the interest. It really means a lot to me. And thank you to the guest reviewer... are you the same guest reviewer as the first? It is a shame I can't reply more personally to you but at the same time, I know how convenient guest reviewing is.

Now, onwards! March, _I say! _

* * *

It was two months in when Sakura discovered all about Itachi-nii-san and more about Sasuke's home life. It started with her supervising a visit with Sasuke. She was quite sure this was Officer Kakashi's job, or perhaps one of the prison guards, but it had somehow been pushed off onto her. There'd been something about a _midnight launch_ and _paradise _in the discussion but Kakashi had spoken too briefly and so fast, and she'd nodded without really listening to what she was agreeing to and there she was.

Sasuke leaned back on two legs in his seat, gazing up idly at the ceiling. Even though he wasn't talking to her, the silence wasn't uncomfortable and it was a vast improvement from the usual snarling and sneering he did at the people around him.

"You'll tip. And then, I'll laugh," remarked Sakura, browsing on a website on her phone with thousands of fan-made stories, browsing the section on one of her favorite books and trying to find a good one to read. "And you'll bruise your ego."

"I don't have an ego."

"... You are joking, aren't you?"

"Teme!" came a yell from behind the gate.

"Here we go," sighed Sasuke, putting his chair onto the floor and burying his head into his palms in exasperation. "Anyone but _him_!"

"Who is ... him?" asked Sakura, too late. A figure had already come staggering into the hall and she had to blink a few times to make sure she wasn't imagining the orange-clad figure. He confidently swaggered - literally, _swaggered _- up to the table and slammed his hands down on it with a pleasing grin. Sakura almost grinned too but suppressed the urge to go smiling at a stranger.

"Hey man!" cheered the boy so loudly that Sakura actually jumped. This made him divert his attention to her for a moment, his eyes widening. "Hey, girl..."

"I'd kill those ideas right now," warned Sasuke. "She's intelligent and that's more than enough to put her out of your league."

"Oi, why do you assume I'm checking her out?" asked Naruto.

"Because you clearly are..."

"Huh. Are you... jealous?"

Sakura shrank down into her seat and wanted nothing more than to hide under the table out of view but that would inevitably draw even more attention to herself. In the time that she'd been trying to block them out, the conversation had somehow devolved into baseless insults between the pair.

"What is there to be jealous of? I'd say it's the other way around. You're a weirdo pervert who always stinks of ramen. At least I have something going for me."

"Like what, Princess Emo of Konoha? I'd rather be a smelly pervert than weep in a closet all day and brush my hair because it's the only good thing I have."

"Dobe."

"Teme."

"Dobe."

"TEME!"

"Children," huffed out Sakura, slamming her fist down on the table. Sasuke whipped his hand back, having come so close to having crushed carpals. He let out an edgy sigh of relief. Naruto staggered, as if the force from the impact had somehow blown him back.

"Oh," said Naruto, grinning sheepishly. "Sorry... uh... uh?"

"Sakura. Sakura Haruno. Pleased to meet you...?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, dattebayo!"

"... Naruto?" murmured Sakura to herself, tilting her head.

_Another _one of the untouchable males in her school. She'd never, somehow, seen him before. She was also in different areas to him since she was only a Junior and he was a senior, so that was hardly surprising. But THIS was Hinata's 'beau'. _This! _This loon in a modified asylum garb! She would've thought that just once she might've caught sight of him... or maybe not. Hinata with a crush would avoid said crush at all costs. She'd done it in middle school - she spent every lunch time in the girls bathroom as a means to hide from a boy who was perhaps called _Kiba _or a name that Sakura couldn't care less about.

She'd obviously had another bout of ignorance to the boys conversation. They'd settled down now and Naruto was relaxed back in his chair, talking with his hands flying about everywhere whilst Sasuke had taken to leaning on his again with a look of boredom on his face. By the time she'd zoned back in, Sasuke was saying the first thing he'd said in a while.

"How's Gaara?" he'd asked, trying to feign a look of indifference. Sakura knew too well that diverting his attention away from someone was his way of trying to brush off what he really felt.

"He said there's no hard feelings and given the way you went at each other, he should probably be sat in here with you, along with the rest of us who went and threw in a punch, maybe. He said he even tried to explain he started the fight too but Principal Danzo kept insisting he was sure Gaara would never do such a thing."

Sakura HAD seen Gaara around before. She knew little of him but she had seen him because he was senior's class president. She was the junior class president and so they'd had very very brief, formal conversations. She realized he had come in one day with a black eye. Or... black-_er_ eye.

"Unsurprising," remarked Sasuke smoothly.

"Hey, remember how we were gonna have a booze party when we graduated?"

"No. I'm institutionalized and have forgotten what it's like to exist outside of four white walls."

"Shut up! I was just introducing the topic!" growled Naruto. "Anyway, we kind of realized if we can get into a fight when we're sober, one of us might kill each other when we're drunk. So, we decided to go paintballing instead."

"... You mean, we're avoiding getting unreasonably aggressive with each other by being violent in a controlled setting? That's actually smart."

"Better than that, teme, it was MY idea!"

"You didn't actually think about it in terms of safety. You just know paintballing is ultimately cheaper than getting wasted."

"Y-yeah well... whatever. I'm dry, so sue me. No, no! Wait, that's not what I meant - don't sue me. I don't have two yen to rub together."

"I have nothing to sue you for, idiot! Unless idiocy **was** a crime."

"If only. Then being a smartass would have to be a crime too and I could sue you first and definitely win. Then I'd be loaded!"

"I can't fathom out your logic as to why intelligence would have to be a crime. More, the only ones who would have much reason to sue are the people who are too dim, like yourselves. But the fundamental flaw is - they're too stupid to sue."

Sasuke and Sakura could see that he'd just broken Naruto. Too much to think about in one go ended the small debate they had going back and forth. From Sakura's perspective, it'd looked halfway friendly and like some strange form of bonding between the pair. Shame that Naruto was having a brain fart and killed it; it'd actually been fun to watch.

Instead, the air suddenly turned serious as Sasuke finally put the other two legs of the chair on the floor and leaned on his elbows, fingers laced and chin perched on his hand. Even Naruto sat a little bit straighter.

"Naruto, have you seen Itachi by any chance?"

Naruto gulped and nodded, looking down at his hands and waving his fingers idly.

"I go over every day. Awh, dammit Sasuke... he's frail. He doesn't stop wheezing and shaking. I've seen him shake before but even just to lift a cup to his mouth he's got jitters and I think he spills more of it over himself than he gets in his mouth. And it's getting cold and he's kind of worse but me and my uncle took over plenty of blankets and a portable heater for him. I know it's not the news you wanna hear, but I really think he's getting..."

"Worse," muttered Sasuke, his eyes downcast. "Thank you, Naruto. Tell Jiraya thanks too. You didn't have to do that for him."

"What, you think I'm gonna sit and watch him struggle!? Someone has to take your place whilst you're stuck in this dump, right? It's nothing. Itachi's like a brother to me anyway, man. He did tell me to say hi from him when I came to see you."

"That's it... hi?"

"You expect him to say more?"

"... No. Fair enough."

* * *

"Itachi... he's your brother, Sasuke-kun?" asked Sakura as she wandered into Sasuke's room with him. Sasuke looked at her cautiously before nodding.

"Big brother."

"What's it like, having an older sibling? I'm an only child."

"It's annoying," smirked Sasuke.

"Ah... so it's enjoyable then? I know '_annoying_' might as well be Sasuke-speak for 'it's the best most amazing thing in the world'. Like me, you know? You often say I'm annoying."

"No, Sakura. Annoying means annoying."

"Boo, you meanie!"

"That... THAT is annoying. You speak like a 5 year old."

"I would rather speak like an infant that grunt and grumble like an old man the way you do, Sasuke-kun."

"If you think of me like that, why do you add -kun to the end of my name? Isn't _that _for children?"

"Would you like me to call you Sasuke-chan instead?"

"Look at that... you've been here for an hour already. Isn't it your home time?"

Sakura clapped her hands together and giggled. Oh, of all of the annoying people in his life, she was just the _worst! _

"Soon... but Sasuke, I was wondering... Naruto-kun seemed to imply your brother is ill? Is he okay?"

Sasuke hesitated once again, the way he did when answering her initial question. But he relented this time too.

"The doctors said, for lack of a better diagnosis, he's got COPD. I'm sure you know what that is... but he's got it pretty bad. I remember when I was younger he always struggled breathing. Things just got worse when... when our parents died. They died in a fire..."

"And he inhaled the smoke," gasped Sakura, covering her mouth. Sasuke frowned and nodded.

"It ebbs and flows. Sometimes, he can manage mundane things without a problem. Sometimes, he can't even walk up the stairs without gasping for air he just can't ever get."

She was hugging him, _again_. Sasuke wanted to roll his eyes and make a snarky comment about it, but she was concerned for him and for a man she knew nothing about. How could he push her away? It was just who she was to be worried and sympathetic. He didn't let his arms hover this time, he secured one around her shoulders firmly and squeezed as a silent thank you.

"Get off now. Your hair smells offensively _sweet_."

"Ooh, you bitter old man."

* * *

Half an hour longer of pestering Sasuke until he almost collapsed of air loss from sighing so much and Sakura was on her way out. A folder was clasped between her fingers and she was shaking like a leaf until she made it to her car and sat down. She opened it up and flicked through the papers until she found what she was after - an address.

She had no idea why she was so nervous. She was well within her rights to take Sasuke's folder with her. It was just details of his class progress and a very brief insight into what he'd done to get himself into Juvie. But she felt like she was taking it for all the wrong reasons. It was interesting in itself though.

Given the injuries he supposedly arrived with, and the conversation she'd heard earlier between the boys, she wondered if there really was a bit of favoritism and bullying going on by Principal Danzo who had been the one to call in the cops when the initial fight broke out. Sasuke Uchiha was not the violent, mindless thug he was made out to be when she was told his story. He probably didn't deserve to be here after all. School fights happened all the time... why did this one land him a criminal record?

In fact, Sakura would go as far as to say Sasuke had quite a soft side. He knew quite a lot of the offenses the other inmates were responsible for and he expressed abhorrence at the worst cases, his thoughts going out to the victims - he actually expressed concern. First time he had, Sakura had pinched _him _to see if things were real until he pointed out she was stupid and was supposed to pinch herself.

He wasn't the cold and heartless jerk she had first assumed after all. He was socially awkward, it just went unnoticed because of the pretty face. No one would be willing to see his discomfort at heavy interaction whilst he was so good looking. But Sakura had learned to, somewhere and somehow.

She entered the address into her sat-nav because no sane person went without one in their car and set off in silence. Normally, she'd crank up the volume and belt her tuneless voice out but this time she needed the quiet to gather her thoughts. She knew it was a short journey which put more pressure on her.

She arrived too soon. Every single light was green and there was barely any traffic. She thought it was fate making fun of her and shortening the time in which she had to compose herself. She took a deep breath and hopped out of the car before she could convince herself to backtrack and approached the door of a grand looking house that wasn't too big but was a little larger than average.

Whilst she waited, her traitorous inner tried to get her to turn tail and go back to her car but she had come here for some compelling reason, even if he didn't truly know what it was yet. She'd know when the door was opened. The voice in her head was pushed aside and replaced with the patience to wait.

When at last the hinges creaked and the solid door was hauled back she let out all of her breath in a soft 'woosh'. She held her breath without meaning to and she was pretty sure she was now red-faced and stupid looking.

"Hello?" asked the velvety voice that could surely not have belonged to someone of ill health.

"Um... I-Itachi Uchiha?"


	6. Chapter 6

a/n: I'm putting a _reminding disclaimer_ here so that I can't get into trouble. I'm more than aware that I **don't **own Naruto.

* * *

Sakura glanced over her teacup as discreetly as possible whilst Itachi took a sip of his own. She could see what Naruto meant by his jittering. He had to take it painfully slowly just to get the rim of the cup to his lips. When he finally tipped it slightly, his hands shook more until he was forced to put the cup down. Sakura knew, from looking, there was more than lung problems going on. She had a faint suspicion that he wasn't telling anyone about the other symptoms though and veiling them with his COPD.

"Haruno-san," he called out. "Is it not to your liking?"

"No!" she gaped, taking a big healthy sip and burning her throat by accident which made her visibly wince. She heard a deep chuckle from across her and blushed, looking into her cup. "Sorry, Uchiha-san, I... truth is, I don't know why I came here and I'm a bit nervous."

"Curiosity got the better of you?"

"I suppose..."

"What were you expecting?" he asked. She looked over at him sharply, eyes widening. The question disarmed her.

"Expecting?"

"Based on what you know about my brother, were you expecting something?"

"... I was expecting a wheezy, grunting recluse?" she answered, half-sarcastically. She couldn't believe her audacity once the words had left her mouth but Itachi seemed to find this even more amusing than her tea-related blunder.

"I would not blame you for that assumption, however I might just have taken all the potential charisma our parents had to offer and left my little brother high and dry."

"So, he was always quite a... private person?"

"Hn, I would say he has always been _reliant _on people automatically understanding him. Naturally, this leads to everyone being 'annoying' in his opinion because they don't understand him in the slightest."

"Don't I know it," laughed Sakura lightly.

"Are you allowed, legally, to do your voluntary role in the juvenile detention centre?"

"Are you concerned for me, Itachi-san?" she smirked, batting her lashes at him. She mentally slapped herself because she was MORE than aware that this wasn't Sasuke she was talking to but still behaved like some deranged flirt-bag. Thankfully, Itachi still found her funny.

"It would be wrong if I weren't. A young pretty lady such as yourself seems like a high risk person to send for the job in itself, never mind that I've always believed Kakashi invented this job role out of nowhere. Did Officer Kakashi not consider your safety?"

"Officer Kakashi considered my aptitude," she declared proudly.

"You're a smart, hard working student, I take it?"

"I... I like to think so."

"Then maybe you **can **get Sasuke to use his brains for once. He's naturally gifted and chooses to waste it all on having a bad attitude."

"Hmph. I noticed."

"Be patient with him, Haruno-san. He obviously doesn't dislike you or he wouldn't have told you anything about me."

"Really..?"

"I would not lie."

That really gave Sakura something to think about as she continued to chatter to Itachi.

* * *

Sasuke was exhausted, he just hadn't slept properly the night before. Even though the day was as mundane as ever, he felt unsettled. When Sakura finally came in for the evening, he unwittingly relaxed but didn't bother sitting up from the bed. He had homework and reading to do and normally he'd have a small workout every day to keep on top of his fitness but he couldn't be bothered at the moment.

"Hey," she said softly, wandering up and leaning over him. He blinked groggily and waved, when he suddenly noticed the big white flower in her hands.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing.

"It's a daisy," she answered blandly. He was about to tell her that he wasn't stupid when suddenly the bed sank down next to him and he slid into the centre of it slightly more than he already was.

"... What are you doing?" he asked, nervous but hiding it well.

"I'm pretty tired," she smiled, holding the oversized daisy between her hands and resting them on her torso. She looked eerily like she was laid in a coffin, too happy to be there. Sasuke felt the petals out of curiosity.

"It is a real daisy? It's giant."

"It's called a Shasta daisy, they are large. Another inmate gave it to me on my way here."

"_Who_?" he demanded in a dangerous tone that Sakura overlooked.

"I don't know. Tall, ginger-orange-ish hair and brown eyes," she shrugged. "Seemed like a real sweetheart."

"Oh... Fine," muttered Sasuke. He knew who it was. _Juugo. At least that means the gesture was harmless enough. _

"This mattress, Sasuke... it's horrible," she grumbled.

"You haven't been sleeping on it for 8 weeks."

"Let's go somewhere else."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Sakura turned her head wearily to the side to look at Sasuke who had a straight face. She almost rolled off the bed in shock at their proximity but decided to stand her ground instead. Sasuke looked... _bemused_, when she decided to look closely.

"GO somewhere else? Forget where you are?"

"_No_," she chuckled. "I mean let's imagine we're somewhere better. A mattress shop!" she declared, closing her eyes.

"No. That makes me envious."

"Okay. Outside."

"Fine," he shrugged, deciding to play along and closing his eyes too. "Where outside?"

"Beach?"

"Too many naked people."

"Meadow?"

"I have hay fever."

"You're a big baby, Sasuke! No wonder you're stuck in here, you can't handle the outside-"

"School roof," he cut in.

"Wha-?"

"The school roof. We're on the school roof. It's high up, it's outside, there's no naked people and no _plants_. You've been up there, right?"

"Of course I have," she huffed. "It's made of concrete though."

"Then bring a blanket. _You big baby_."

"Okay..."

They both took a deep breath and placed themselves in their setting. _Dressed in their school uniforms with a soft blanket to keep them from the rough ground below, clouds sluggishly trailing by because there was nothing more than a light breeze to usher them along. Their wrists were lightly-_

Sasuke opened his eyes a fraction and glanced at their hands which were resting against each other and discreetly gulped. When he moved his hand a fraction further he tried to tell himself it was just a mistake but he knew he never did something so deliberate without wanting to. The revelation was put on hold though.

"Don't open your eyes!" hissed Sakura. "You'll break our synergy."

"Synergy," he scoffed, but closed his eyes anyway because as ludicrous as it sounded, it was also true. Somehow he felt every sensation from their imaginations as if it was real and as if he was sharing Sakura's own imagining in his mind along with his own.

"Sasuke," she whispered after a moment. "I have a confession to make..."

"I don't want to hear it."

"No. You do... it involves you."

"I figured-"

"I went to see your brother."

"... Hn?"

"I went to see Itachi-san," she explained, sighing out. "It was on a whim, I looked up your address and went to see him. When I heard you ask Naruto, you sounded so _scared_... I got scared for you and I..."

In his mind, Sasuke opened his eyes and found hers staring at him, green as the spring she embodied. She looked picture perfect with the daisy between his fingers, fumbling awkwardly. _Maybe I'm not imagining this, she looks too worried for this to be fake... _he decided he didn't care because the only two things that needed to exist were him and Sakura. She looked like she was about to break down.

He would've lost his temper completely 2 months back if she'd done this. He'd have told her she had no right and she was _annoying _and to butt the hell out of his life but he didn't mind, somehow. It was touching that she cared because he believed she did it not just for him but for his brother's sake also. He let the barest of smiles stretch across his lips, the sensation to foreign but slowly becoming normal - _for her._

He was about to give his gratitude and tell her it was okay, but she spoke up first, meek and quiet, and completely blew his mind away.

"And I've agreed to move in with him for a bit..."

Okay. Maybe **that **was too much for him to cope with.


	7. Chapter 7

a/n:At last, some answers! Hopefully this is a satisfactory explanation.

* * *

"What the _hell _did you do that for?" snapped Sasuke through gritted teeth. He'd shot up to a sitting position, any connection they may have had now broken. Sakura sat up two, wringing her hands together and breathing out shakily.

"You have to understand, it's for Itachi. Nothing else! I won't be there _all _the time, I'll be going home on Tuesday nights-"

"Like that makes a difference."

"Please, let me finish!"

"Hn!" he growled lowly, eyes narrowing dangerously.

She faulted, having no idea what that even meant. Most of his 'hn's were easy to interpret because most of them meant he didn't give a damn or it was just a supplement for 'I'm listening'. Most of the time it was up to her to decide which understanding she wanted to make of it. Maybe this time, he was just actually lost for words. Not that she could blame him, she'd be speechless too in his shoes.

"H-he asked me if I'd like to..."

"Hn!?"

"Stop!" she shrieked, wincing. "S-stop... grunting like that. It doesn't make sense."

"Hm..." was his smart-ass riposte. He felt quite pleased with his wit. Sakura, however, changed demeanors quickly and glared him down.

"That's no better! Are you bipolar? One moment you're about to wring my neck and then you're teasing me-"

"Just carry on explaining," he barked impatiently, now bored of their games even though he had started it.

"Ugh, fine!"

* * *

_"Itachi-san!" gasped Sakura as the man begin to splutter. She'd noticed for a while that he'd been wheezing under his breath and coughing as subtly as possible. She stood up quickly and looked around to see if there was any medication she might need to give him. Lo-and-behold, sat in the corner was a portable nebulizer. She dashed over and pulled round to Itachi's side and brought the mask up to his face for him to hold there. _

_She plugged it in and switched it on and whilst he held it up, she adjusted the mask to his face. As she fussed around, a small slip of paper came to her attention on top of the table with the nebulizer on. It had a list of times and the closet one was 7pm. It was now nearly quarter past 8. He was over an hour late on receiving his medication. She hissed and stood up straight once she'd placed the mask on securely for him and put her hands on her hips._

_He gave her a surprisingly apologetic look, but underneath the mask he was smirking slightly. She narrowed her eyes further and leered at him more. _

_"Haruno... Sakura-san," he sighed out. "I apologize." _

_"You shouldn't __**talk **__much whilst you're using that," she grumbled. "Point, don't talk. Where is the kitchen?"_

_Itachi rolled his eyes and pointed a shaky hand towards the doorway behind her. She nodded and turned sharply, heading into the kitchen._

_Once inside, she was almost blown away by the room. It was a really nice kitchen but also obviously neglected. A pile of boxes sat near the bin of disposable food cartons from easy, ready-made meals. She understood why it would've been too stressful for Itachi to stand up and make a full meal for himself. She was quite sure that most ordinary people would be bedbound by such symptoms. In the 2 hours she'd spent conversing with Itachi (2 hours that passed by without he even noticing) she'd gone from respecting him to finding him just as infuriating as his little brother._

_Taking charge, she opened every cupboard she came to and found 80% of them bare. Then, thankfully, she found the various tea selections and was even more elated to discover that there was all she needed to make ginger, honey and lemon tea for Itachi. That coughing must have been harsh on his throat. _

_Whilst that was brewing, she set about finding some cleaning products. She'd noticed something when getting the nebulizer for him that she'd overlooked when she first stepped foot in the house._

_Tea and cleaning products in hand, she went back and set the cup down next to Itachi who blinked once at her and before he could express gratitude, she was at the window, opening it up. He tried to look over his shoulder but his sore body asked him kindly not to so he settled for waiting for her to come back in his line of view. _

_"Itachi," she said curtly, dropping any honorifics. Itachi got the distinct impression he was about to be berated. "I'm not surprised you're in such a state. Have you _dusted _this house in the past 2 months?" _

_"What makes you ask?" he asked back, trying not to smirk. Oh... oh he really liked this Sakura girl. Sasuke didn't know how __**lucky **__he was. _

_"Because, funnily enough, 2 months ago your little, significantly healthier, brother went into Juvie and I'd say the amount of dust in here adds up to a few months of neglect."_

_"I suppose you're right, Sakura-san." _

_"You __**suppose**__!? Do you two get off on being frustrating or something?"_

_"No. That's not it. We're just a bit stubborn. Then again, I won't speak on Sasuke's behalf for anything."_

_"No, Itachi-san. My step-mother is stubborn; so I know what it looks like. __**You **__are plain stupid."_

_"How kind of you." _

_"Now, __Itachi__. I'm going to clean this room whilst you sit there and shut up and focus on breathing. And when you've done breathing, you're going to sit there, shut up and focus on drinking your tea. And tomorrow, we're going to rinse and repeat."_

* * *

"I went back the next day to finish what I started and he.. he said that I might clean it now but four months down the line it's just going to be worse again. I told him I'd keep coming by at 6pm every day to make sure he was doing his medication properly as well as tidy, and he suddenly proposed I take up the spare room, just until you get back," she finished off, eyes wide.

They were sat up now, facing each other with their legs crossed on the bed. Sakura had been fiddling with her fingers in her lap and Sasuke had chosen to fixate on that whilst she spoke. When he looked up at her he was surprised to see she looked... _afraid. _He found that a little exasperating; did she think just because he was in Juvie for battery that he was going to deck her for doing something irritating yet sensible?

"Itachi," he hissed, narrowing his eyes. It was all he could manage to utter.

What _was _the man thinking? Sure, he'd expressed those reasons to Sakura; but Itachi would never do something like that without an ulterior motive, and it set Sasuke completely on edge to know he was inside an inescapable prison - literally - and unable to see what the truth behind his actions really were. He was going to have to glean whatever information he could from Sakura and deduce it on his own from second-hand clues.

_Poor Sakura _he thought devilishly, finding the humorous side in these bizarre turn of events. She had no idea what a conniving bastard Itachi could be, she just saw some poor, weak young man who needed a gracious helping hand.

Admittedly, Sasuke reasoned, only through knowing Itachi for your whole life could you ever begin to realize how sneaky and deliberate he actually was. As a child, Sasuke had needed to know he was valued and worth something and Itachi had made up countless lies on behalf of their father so that Sasuke could never know about the man's indifference. It wasn't until he was a teen, and realized, that Itachi admitted even the compliments he himself received were pretty insincere from their father. It wasn't the case that he _felt _nothing, he just didn't do well at showing he felt _something_. Sasuke could only imagine how depressed he would've been as a child if Itachi hadn't stepped in.

Itachi was also the reason Naruto was his best friend. They'd hated each other's guts in the beginning but Itachi had secretly fed the two information about the other. Naruto was told Sasuke secretly thought highly of him, and Sasuke was told Naruto secretly thought he was super cool and they'd laid off their nastiness. And then one day at a friend's birthday party, Itachi had pushed Naruto into the swimming pool without a float and Sasuke dived in with a spare to hand the flailing boy one and the friendship deal was sealed. But with all that had happened, even when they realized they'd been had, they remained the closest of friends. They just ganged up on Itachi instead.

Sasuke was brought out of his peaceful reverie by Sakura tugging his sleeve.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked timidly.

"No," he answered back certainly.

Taking it all in to account, he wasn't mad at all. It wasn't surprising Sakura would fall on her sword to help someone in need. Her caring nature was inexorable. It was the reason she was sat with him in his cell, after all. And she had no idea that Itachi might be brewing up some kind of plan. And deep down, he knew it was comforting that someone would be with Itachi almost constantly. Over the past year, his health had gone from bad to worse and not being there always chewed away at his mind. Now he might relax a bit more, especially with the duty being in the hands of someone as responsible as Sakura was.

"But if he gets on your nerves, just walk out," smirked Sasuke.

"You two are just FULL of love for each other, aren't you?" she chided.

"Were your parents even okay with this?"

"Well, funny thing... I told my stepmom about it all because I was going to decline at first, but I wanted to know what she thought anyway. But she's a doctor, you know? Did I ever tell you that? I guess not. She's seen Itachi a couple of times before and he's made her blow her top on all occasions, she said. She told me he's the most personally negligent human being she's ever met. I told her... she hadn't met _you_. She said she didn't want to, because one of you was enough," she grinned shyly. Even Sasuke found it funny, privately. "She said it'd do everyone a big favor if maybe I did it, so long as I popped back home at least three times a week. Even if I didn't stay over. And that's that, I guess. If my stepmom thinks it's a good idea, it probably is. She's wise like that."

Sasuke took a moment to absorb everything she said. Sakura could ramble when she wanted to and he was trying to pick out the most essential information from what she said. _Stepmom, doctor, big favor, wise_. _Cool. _At the end of the day, even though they were related, it wasn't strictly his business what Itachi did. Nor what Sakura did. If they were both happy with this, he'd just shrug, nod and accept.

This in mind, he then deigned her with a response.

"Hn."

"Sasuke!" she whined, slapping his knee.

"Alright, _fine, _your highness. Thank you."

"Oh, that's better!" she beamed.

"Who's the bipolar one again?"

This on-off switch she had was secretly fascinating to Sasuke. She couldn't stop the scowl on her face before she realized that was undeniable proof of his taunt. She slapped her forehead and whined that he did that on purpose whilst Sasuke gave her a small but, nonetheless, shit-eating grin. He agreed, he did do it on purpose.

It was his new favorite game.


	8. Chapter 8

_a/n: I'm pleased to say, things are now moving somewhere :) I kind of aimed for about 15 chapters with this thing but I think I'm going to go a bit over that. The... bigger the better? _

* * *

That Thursday afternoon, the school halls were particularly noisy at lunch. A certain group of boys had been rampaging around in an army of hyperactivity.

"Remind me, Hina..." Ino began sweetly, watching as an orange blur tore past the half-open doorway. Her eyes slitted. "What do you see in Uzumaki?"

"Oh, w-well, he... um," she blushed, linking her fingers nervously and following as the orange bullet came tanking back the other way. "H-he's funny? A-and generous and I like his s-smile."

"Awwh!" cooed Sakura, gushing at her best friend. "That's so _sweet_!"

"Isn't it a bit... _elementary schoolish_?" asked Ino, crunching her salad between her teeth lazily. Ino; a genuine slob. Although saying as much would be sure to get you a shriek and a slap which wasn't worth the honesty.

"Oi, piggy-face." Well. Sakura wasn't as fearful as the average being. "Not all of us are about candle lit dinners and being pampered by whipped boyfriends," scoffed Sakura, folding her arms. Hinata shook her head in agreement with Sakura and in wanting to dismiss Ino's remark.

"I-I can't explain it, Ino. The feelings are... j-just _there_."

"I still don't understand though," she shrugged nonchalantly.

Without warning, said Uzumaki suddenly popped his head into the room and looked around. Students were reeling - _hot senior incoming! _He slid the door back fully and revealed a red head stood next to him who was tapping her foot impatiently with folded arms, looking like she was in hell on earth.

Naruto pinned his eyes straight onto Sakura before grinning widely and tanking inside. The occupants of the classroom collectively held their breaths and the red head at the door seethed.

"SAKURA-CHAN!" roared Naruto, pulling a seat around. The student who'd just been about to park themselves down made an abrupt connection with the floor. Naruto dropped the seat down next to Sakura with the backrest facing the table and sat on it the wrong way with his arms dangling over the back. "It's my birthday!"

"Naruto... -kun?"

"I'm eighteen! I'M EIGHTEEN!"

"I've heard..."

"You've been shouting it all over the school since this morning," said the red-head approaching behind him. "Come on, the others are waiting, Naruto!"

"Yeah, but I wanna talk to Sakura-chan. Why don't you just go terrorize some 1st graders or something?" he suggested. This made her look up thoughtfully and a small smile spread across her face before she turned sharply and left.

"Ugh, I hate Karin," growled Ino, folding her arms.

"... She's my cousin," said Naruto, raising a brow.

"I uh... I was... I mean..." Ino stammered, doing her best impression of a fish. Naruto waved his hand dismissively.

"She's not to everyone's tastes, I know. She is a bully, after all..." he sighed before turning his attention to the shy beauty next to Ino. "Hinata-chan! It's been forever!" he grinned, waving animatedly. "Neji banned me from coming over, you see?" he sighed before perking up abruptly. "It's my birthday, Hinata-chan! I'm eighteen today! Did Neji tell you!?"

"N-no- I- he-... H-happy birthday!" she squeaked in response. Her cheeks were swept over by a deep scarlet. Naruto scratched his chin, looking thoughtful for a moment at her before he seemed to come to a sudden realization.

"You look kinda hot! I mean - warm. But that, uh, that's not to say that I'm saying you're not hot in THAT way, it's just not what I meant at first!" He blanched. "B-but I mean - I'm not saying it now either but don't get me wrong, I'm not being rude because you are kinda-"

Sakura slapped her hand over his mouth and sighed out wearily, giving him the harshest glare she had to offer. It was enough to make him wither beneath her palm. Ino's jaw was on the floor and Hinata was blinking rapidly, her breath all held in. Predicting what was to come, Ino forcefully hauled Hinata out of her seat by the same and grinned charmingly.

"Ladies room, keep far, _far _away Naruto-san!" she chirped through gritted teeth, one eye twitching at the boy.

Sakura saw Hinata collapse into Ino's side the second they were out in the corridor.

"Wif hifafa-chun buh woky?"

"Ehh?!" shrieked Sakura, removing her hand abruptly. It was now moist from Naruto's breath and she cringed slightly, discreetly wiping it on Ino's coat which had been left behind.

"Will Hinata-chan be okay? I didn't mean to... that was my fault, right?"

"Well," started Sakura. She saw Naruto look hopeful out of the corner of her eye. "Yes," she finished abruptly, watching him deflate.

"Well um... tell her I'm sorry."

"Of course. So... why are you here?" she asked awkwardly, not sure what to do now there were no dramatics to distract them all.

"Oh! Remind Teme it's my birthday for me, would ya?"

"Hmm, I'll remind Sasuke but I dunno who this 'Teme' is you speak of," Sakura chuckled lightly. Naruto guffawed but before he could ask why she defended Sasuke, a large throng burst through the door with the red head from earlier at the forefront.

"He's there look," she said, pointing and grinning maliciously.

Sakura's eyebrows disappeared into her hair line. Was every popular senior in the school just going to welcome themselves in? She'd never seen more than one of these people at a given time. She watched as one in particular parted the small crowd - a face she recognized. Senior class president Gaara, flanked by Neji Hyuuga and Kiba Inuzuka. They looked... blood thirsty.

"Uzumaki. You are delaying the inevitable," he warned, cracking his knuckles.

"Can't we just... forget the whole punching tradition, guys?" asked Naruto nervously, standing up and stepping behind Sakura.

"You started this," Neji remarked, flexing his fingers.

"Don't dare use me as a barrier!" roared Sakura, shoving her chair out and knocking Naruto back slightly. He clamped his fists into her shoulders.

"But Sakura-chan... imagine going to tell Teme that I got killed today?"

"He'd laugh. I'd like to see him laugh, for once," she shrugged.

Naruto sprinted from the classroom yelling her name, chased by a hoard of males and leaving everyone wondering why he was raving about cherry blossoms instead of his age like he had been doing all the rest of the day.

* * *

"Sasuke-chaaan~" whispered a delightful voice in his ear. He smiled lightly as he felt something fumble through his hair and stroke. "Sasuke-chan, if you don't wake up I'm going to draw on your face."

Sasuke cracked one eye open and glared at the pink tresses hanging in his line of sight.

"Like you'd dare," he rasped sleepily. Sakura reached her hand out to him but he caught her wrist. He felt cheated when he realized she wasn't even holding a pen in the first place to doodle on him with. His eyes flashed threateningly at her but she stood her ground. She'd become immune to it over the past couple of months, which he was less than impressed with. Who was he going to strike fear into, if not her?

He forgot about being angry for a moment when her fingers detangled from his hair. It'd been a nice sensation, so he figured maybe he could spare her on this occasion.

His eyes then settled on the daisy laced through the button hole of her school blazer.

"Another one?" he asked, prodding it like it was offensive.

"Yes. If he keeps on doing this, I'll have a whole bunch! I don't know where he gets them from though."

"Juugo works in the gardens."

"Oh, so that's his name?"

"You're taking flowers off him and don't know his name?" he asked, bewildered. Sakura just shrugged and held up something in her hand, ignoring his question essentially.

"This is a birthday card," she started.

"I'm not blind," he said, equally obvious. Sakura didn't even pay his jibe any attention.

"It's Naruto's birthday and I find it hard to imagine you've ever given him one of these so I'm telling you what this foreign object is. But since you're in here and you can't celebrate with him - you should still acknowledge it. It would make him really happy, Sasuke. He approached me today. He's been so excited all day - enough to shout about it around every accessible hall. Do you think you can do that?"

"No! That's so pointless."

"That's unkind, Sasuke!" she admonished, but he shrugged one shoulder. Sakura blinked. "What is that?" she asked, imitating him. He repeated it back to her.

"I dunno but I'm not giving him a _birthday_ card. I'll... buy him some ramen when I get out or something."

"That's such a lame gesture! I won't let you. He's not getting birthday ramen so - _belated!_ It just becomes insincere by that time - a duty not a gift," she huffed, sitting down in the chair and turning towards the desk. She whipped up a pen from the holder and started writing in the card.

"What are you doing?" he asked, breathing down her neck - literally. He'd taken up position behind the chair. Sakura visibly shivered in front of him.

"I'm writing it out for you because you're a big baby and won't get sentimental for yourself. All you have to do is write your name."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then I'll MAKE you."

He believed that. He watched her write a simple message inside and she even added 'from' at the end of it. He really did just have to write his name. He looked down at her as she held the pen up to him, waiting. He scowled at her first, trying to win his way but he knew what he was up against. He could just imagine her forcefully holding his wrist to the card and moving his arm for him. And he'd rather begrudgingly write out his name than have it written in a sloppy childlike way by force. The former choice was, at least, more dignified.

But as he took the pen, he smirked. If he was going to do this, he was going to enjoy it. He moved his arm round her side and rested his chin on her shoulder, settling his free hand around her other side. His smirk broadened out as he felt her tense under him and he reached out to write his name as slowly and deliberately as possible. When he was done, Sakura almost seemed relieved but he started on the next words.

"Sasuke?" she called out. He turned his head in slightly but kept his focus on the card.

"Hmm?" he murmured deeply.

Even he could feel the heat of his breath against her neck. To add, he gently nudged her cheek with his nose in such a subtle way that it could've almost never happened. But her reaction told him she felt it. She complied, tilting her head slightly to accommodate and had let out the quietest of gasps.

"What are you doing?"

"Just penning in all the credits," he answered casually, finishing off. He'd added 'and Sakura' after his name.

Only, when he analyzed it he suddenly regretted his decision to do that for the sake of loitering around longer than necessary. Writing both their names in the card - that was awfully... _couple-y. _So WHAT if he felt the overwhelming urge to ravish her neck that was exposed so invitingly to him? He and Sakura weren't an item!

Then again...

He wasn't **overly **interested in the opposite sex. There was no real reason for it, he just had other things to focus on and from what he'd seen, relationships were messy. But he could imagine he'd find a relationship with Sakura surprisingly tolerable. And ever since meeting her and getting to know, he'd had the overwhelming desire to completely dominate her for no other reason than the fact that, as they stood, she dominated him.

Somehow. He didn't know what weird turn of events had led to that being the case though.

So maybe if he couldn't dominate her through words, his actions could. The idea was becoming more appealing by the minute now. He parted his lips, readying himself to act. His eyelids lowered and he moved his head in slightly closer. It wasn't until he caught scent of something so un-Sakura that he began to reign himself in and really consider what he was doing.

The daisy. That stupid daisy. It was the daisy's fault he doubted himself and at the same time, he was slightly thankful. That was too impulsive. And, there was another important factor in all of this.

He honestly had no idea if Sakura had a boyfriend or not. She'd never mentioned having one, and he expected if she did she'd have mentioned something but then again, she might've believed it was none of his business. She HAD been eager to accept a kiss from him in the past but things could've changed since then. He didn't want to tread somewhere uncertain like that. It could work perfectly well, or go horribly wrong.

He moved away from her, his hands brushing her arms as he did in a comforting act he didn't mean to give. She turned to face him with a quaint smile on her face, as if she hadn't comprehended what had just transpired. Sasuke gazed down at her quietly but his mind was overloaded. She stood up, pressed her hands against his torso and moved him to sit back down on the bed, thanking him for his cooperation. It went straight over his head.

He was wound up tight in some truly scary thoughts. He needed to work out - _was he attracted to her_? He could've been but he also knew it could be impulse driven and fleeting. There were other things to work out too - **Was **she dating anyone? Was she going to **cooperate **with him? Did he even **want **a relationship... or just something casual?

"So, Sasuke-kun, I'm moving in with Itachi tonight," said Sakura, dabbing the envelope with her tongue to seal it. He ceased his mental debate, raising his brows at her.

"You what?"

"Did you forget already?"

"I wasn't listening."

"Charming. I said I'm moving in with Itachi tonight."

"Ah... just remember," warned Sasuke, gazing down at her. She fluttered her lashes idly whilst she waited, expecting him to say more. She prompted him along.

"Mhm?"

"If he gets on your nerves - Sic him."

* * *

_a/n: I've just discovered something **awful**. _

_._

_._

_._

_Google Chrome doesn't acknowledge 'ramen' as a word. _


	9. Chapter 9

_a/n: I did it! This is significantly better than what I had - trust me. Better late than never! _

* * *

"Sakura..? Sakura-chan! You're late for school! Sakura-chan! You're worse than Sasuke!"

There was a loud thumping noise followed by a whooshing noise. Sakura stormed out of her room and glared down over the stair banister. Itachi raised his brows and watched indifferently as a teddy came sailing by his head, narrowly missing it's intended target - _Him_ of course.

"I'm getting ready," she hissed. Itachi bent down and picked up the toy, hacking slightly as he stood up too fast. Sakura looked ready to vault over to his aid but he held a hand up, the one holding the teddy, effectively easing her mind.

"This," he started. "Is abuse. I used to tell Sasuke I'd call the Stuffed Animal Protection Society and he'd have his toys taken away. Am I going to have to call SAPS on **you**?"

"RGGH!"

Itachi chuckled deeply as the bedroom was slammed in the wake of a moody teenager.

* * *

Moving in with Itachi Uchiha had been... _different. _Sakura wanted to look at it as a responsibility. When her step-mother Tsunade entered her life at 6 years old, Sakura found her life ambition clicking into place. She trailed after her step-mother during long, arduous hours at the hospital and somehow fell in love with it. Seeing the blessings her step-mother could grant, she just _knew _she wanted to do the same. To give back the people the smiles they'd lost, the vitality that had ebbed away.

She looked at this occasion as a way to prove she was capable of doing the task. To her step-mother but most of all herself. Itachi and Sasuke's approval in doing so would just be an added bonus but one she desired nonetheless. To walk away knowing she provided the best care she could've possibly managed would be sure to leave her feeling whole. And then, a year down the line when she was ready to go to medical school, she could walk in having already gained the confidence in her ability to provide.

Sakura was a natural nurturer. She couldn't help it. She didn't gain any sort of power-trip or ego-boost from it. She just felt like it was her role in life to try help things flourish. It was why she wanted a family in the future. To mother, to love, to care. It was all intrinsic to her being.

The first hurdle to leap over in caring for Itachi Uchiha was to stop feeling so _awkward. _She'd come across a great deal of strangers in her life and if she couldn't feel relaxed looking after someone she vaguely knew, she knew she had no hope for the future. The first night she'd spent in the Uchiha household had been beyond awkward. At the time, it was exciting, and a bit daring and a bit crazy. Then it dawned on her that she'd just agreed to live with someone she'd only just met.

This barrier had been knocked down by Itachi himself though, ultimately. On her third night staying there, when the silence had grown stagnant, he held out the phone, some cash and a pizza menu, telling her his favorite topping and leaving it at that. She knew what to do. Pizza had been devoured freely with giggles and tales shared and the next morning, Sakura woke up feeling much lighter and at ease with her new housing situation.

It wasn't strictly her own victory, but it had taught her a lesson and that was more important.

The second roadblock was trying to get Itachi to _stick to his damn routine_. A month down the line and she felt like she was trying to walk through an impenetrable barrier.

Any time she left him alone, she'd walk in on Wednesday evening to a bombsite and a restless Itachi. Last week, he'd almost killed himself trying to lift his chair - all for the sake of getting a _pen_. Why he didn't just go fetch a spare was beyond Sakura. She knew her bedroom floor was littered with stationary for sure.

"Take it easy, you knocked yourself out last time. I've made everything easy for you - lunch is in the cupboard, dinner is in the fridge and you literally just have to reheat it for FOUR minutes - no more, no less. I've set the clocks to go at medicine times but they'll turn themselves off so you don't have to get up and chase them about. If you need me tonight - Do. Not. Hesitate. To Call. I'll make the drive back here."

Itachi nodded from his seat as he read through the list she'd left for him summarizing his Tuesday evening schedule. He calmly sipped his tea before taking a breath to talk. Sakura beat him.

"If the clocks break, you call me. If your dinner blows up, you call me. If your bedding gets up and walks off or something equally as phenomenal - _you call me_," she threatened. She'd predicted the onslaught of stupid questions already - it was a Tuesday morning ritual/game.

"Sakura-chan," grinned Itachi, closing his eyes. "It's as if you're in my head," he said softly, setting his tea down and opening his eyes to look her in the eye. "Axe murderers?"

"You're on your own."

"Oh."

"Honestly, I think you and Sasuke enjoy being difficult," she accused, narrowing her eyes. "I think it's the only emotional gratification you're capable of."

"Speaking of Sasuke, could you tell him I said hi?"

"I always do, even if you don't tell me to."

"But - what if I don't _want _to say hi to him?"

"There you go again, being difficult," she glowered.

"Sakura-chan!" cooed Itachi, patting her hand delicately whilst giving her a boyish grin. "I'd love to have one of our usual debates over the matter but you're verging on being more late than you already are!"

"Oh shit!" she gasped, vaulting out of her chair towards the door. She rushed back in and hugged him out of the blue. "Bye Itachi-nii!"

"Itachi-nii, huh?" he asked to the thin air behind her when she'd closed the door.

* * *

Better than getting Itachi's approval over something was getting Sasuke's. Itachi's was more important, of course. But he was easier pleased. Sasuke always seemed to be on his way to praise and then abruptly snapped it back. Sakura was constantly two steps forward and one step back with him.

It was dinner in the juvenile center. Sasuke plucked up a tomato slice from Sakura's plate and dropped it into his mouth faster than she could protest.

She scowled at him and folded her arms.

"I didn't get my meal for you to eat it."

"I've finished and if you don't eat faster, I'm going to start eating more. I want you to hurry up."

"Why couldn't you just SAY that?"

Sasuke shrugged and started reaching forward for another but Sakura slammed her hand down on top of his. Sasuke tried to worm his hand out from underneath but she pressed her wrist sharply into his fingers, giving him the urge to wince. He barely maintained his neutrality.

"You know, for a bunch of thugs and wayward souls you guys get some pretty decent meals!"

"That's nothing," he said, instantly relaxing. Sakura took some of the pressure off too. "You're never here on the _best _night. Onigiri night."

"Onigiri?" asked Sakura. Onigiri was nice but she wasn't going to rave on about it. Sasuke nodded though.

"Every filling you could ever imagine and so much of it too. It's second only in taste to my mom's onigiri," he said, looking down at the table with disdain and scratching off the paint work with his thumbnail.

Sakura understood then why he enjoyed it so much. It reminded him of better times when he was stuck in the middle of a melting point in his life. Sakura smiled softly but also felt a little glum. Somehow, it even made her sad that never in her life would she be given the chance to taste Mikoto Uchiha's onigiri... even sadder that Sasuke never would again. She imagined the cafeteria's onigiri tasted just as nice, but to Sasuke it would've felt like a dishonor to consider something better than what his mother had provided.

Sakura finished off her food quickly and stood up, taking both their plates to the cleaning area and setting them down on the carts before hauling Sasuke up out of his seat to go back to his cell. On her way, she thought of a way to try make him happier again. He was capable of it, his expression just never betrayed as much.

When they entered inside, the answer gave itself to her. Sasuke remained stood by the door like a beautiful, expressionless stone monument and watched her sit down, frowning ever so subtly and looking at the bed. She gazed up at him and laughed, standing up again and plumping up the pillows for a backrest. When she was done, she sat down and extended her arms.

It was a secret. But Sasuke Uchiha was a sucker for cuddling.

She'd discovered by chance when she opted to brave forth and embrace him one day. He'd relaxed instantly. But how they'd gotten into this little habit - that was beyond her.

He approached and carefully rolled over so he was laid between her legs, his head resting against her bust. Her arms buckled up around his waist and she leaned back into the pillows, taking her with him. After a momentary relaxation period, he nudged his head up against her chin and she unfastened one arm and started stroking his hair.

"You're such a baby, Sasuke," she giggled.

"Shut up and do your job," he smirked, closing his eyes.

Sakura hoped... she really hoped that when he was out of here and readjusting back into school, they would maintain this contact and closeness. It'd taken so much willpower to break into his heart, and every ounce of courage to dare to move on and gamble on understanding him. The loss was steep, and outweighed the chances of the gain - but unlike her step-mother who was infamously cursed with bad luck, serendipity favored her.

She hoped to have enough forces working in her favor for the time when they put this place behind them. Her world would shatter if Sasuke were to cold shoulder her.

She was afraid... she was afraid that she might just honestly... _love _him. It wasn't a love where she was laying out there future together, it was a deep need. A desire to keep him close and enjoy every fiber of his being. _Love _had many different personas, after all. Many of them she attached to her feelings for Sasuke.

Her soul would cascade in on itself - if ever he turned his back to her one day.

* * *

Sakura carelessly dismissed her bag by the doorway and sprinted into the kitchen, throwing her arms around her step-mother's shoulders.

"How was it?" asked Tsunade, smiling proudly.

"It was... kaa-san..." she drifted off, stepping back and holding her hands, clasped in front of her.

"That tone... what do you want?"

"Would you help me learn how to make the best onigiri ever?"


	10. Chapter 10

_Right. I have been absent - yes. There was no post on wednesday - no. I have a valid reason - I do. I was in hospital. Without a laptop. And thus, did not write. Also, now... I'm going to have to just upload on **Saturday's** instead. It'll be for the best, trust me ;) _

_I feel like this chapter is a bit weak... I don't know. I'm very tired. _

* * *

The light swayed like a pendulum - side, to side. To side, to side. He watched it back and forth, hypnotized. The more he watched, the more his vision was destabilized until it was like watching life through a black and white vignette. He staggered, feeling the house lurch him up to one side and tip him across the room. He collapsed down, grazing his knees on the welcome mat at the door he'd just hit.

Colors briefly pulsed to life in this grey grey world, often blindingly sharp and dizzying. He snatched the door handle desperately, he wanted to escape, but the door was locked no matter how hard he yanked. Of course it was locked; why keep it open? It was the dead of the night, keeping it unlocked was asking for trouble. But now it... seemed locking it had also asked for trouble.

He pushed himself away, crawling on his hands and knees towards the dresser which was leaning over precariously. He pushed into it, trying to heave it back into place and use it as a crutch at the same time. He latched his hands round a drawer handle which tore the drawer open, its contents leaking out around his feet and flying out in a frenzy. He barely held on.

The keys. _The keys weren't there_. In all of this mess he could only think - the keys were gone! He had to go tell his mother the keys were gone and the house was being swallowed up into the ground.

"K-Ka... Ka-Kaa-san..." he stammered, his ankles giving way under his weight. "Kaa... kaa-san..."

He rolled over into the hallway wall, holding his forearms up over his body to take the impact. He let out a small gush of breath from the force, taking a moment to regain himself before carefully edging down the path which seemed to elongate by two steps for every one he took.

He stopped when he came to a door slashed with black and red paint. Heavy music bellowed out from within its depths. He gazed at the door in awe for a moment. This was his favorite room.

"Nii... nii-san?" he mumbled, reaching out.

A sharp pain in his hand made him draw back. He couldn't go in that room now. It was dangerous. He didn't know why he felt like that, but he wasn't going to ignore the sharp warning prickle that rode up his spine.

He stepped away, bashing a picture frame which fell to the floor and smashed. A family outing, a nice memory. Was he going to be told off for breaking it?

He whimpered out in panic, trying to get away from the shards and to his mom. She needed to know the keys were gone and the house was half swallowed. The stairs were just ahead. He edged closer, trying to feel for the light switch. He jabbed it in and watched as the light exploded at the top of the stairs. He screamed, covering his ears.

"Kaa-san. Kaa-san. Kaa-san," he whispered, cowering at the bottom. "Kaa-san..."

The house sank further. He felt his back pound to the wall and scrambled up the first few steps. As he carried on his ascent, his vision began to wave slowly. The vignette closed in further and further until his line of sight was a foggy, throbbing mess. There was a soft thrumming noise in his ears.

As he dragged himself up the final step, he saw a slim pale hand, wrapped around a key. He glanced down the length of the arm and found dark hair pooled around the persons head.

"Kaa-san!?" he gasped, pulling their hair back to see their face.

Coal eyes swung up to meet his.

"Nii-san!"

"Sasuke... Go... Leave..."

"The key - the house!"

"Go," he rasped, sliding the key forward, his eyelids bolting down.

"Kaa-san? Where's kaa-san?" asked Sasuke, clutching Itachi's ashen cheeks, trying to lift the older boys head to look at him. "I-Itachi-nii? Itachi - are you sick!?"

Sasuke gazed down the hallway, blinking. There was a murky shadow filling it up, scaring the life out of him for just a moment. It swirled and coiled upwards and a figure bloomed to life in the center. Sasuke inhaled sharply, eyes widening.

"Nii-san!" he pleaded, grabbing his brothers wrists.

He used all the might he had in him to start dragging him away. That monster couldn't get his big brother - his big brother was sick. It was tough, his body was so much smaller and so much weaker but he reached the top of the stairs.

Everything... everything was hazy. He reached out to put his foot down on the first step and missed, the heel of his foot sliding off the wood. He held on to his big brother for dear life. There were thunderous sounds and tremendous shakes and jitters. Sasuke zoned out for a while before closing his eyes against his will.

He spent the longest time swallowed up in the darkness. He was sure it was never going to end, but finally he felt lighter. He stretched his aching body out and sighed, sitting up, rubbing his eyes. He didn't know what to expect when he opened them.

Blackness. That was not what he'd hoped to see. He wanted something tangible. He looked side to side for anything of note but it was all just colorless. He looked down at his hands...

At his hands.

His hands.

He could feel them. They were there, he was rubbing his fingers together and could feel the texture of his skin against the pad of his thumb. It was slightly ticklish. But if they were there, then why couldn't he see them? Was this place lightless as well as colorless.

"Sasuke... Sasuke, are you awake?" asked someone. He whipped his head around quickly, trying to find the direction in which the voice had come from. He liked that voice. "Sasuke... I'm here..."

"Wh-where!? I can't see!"

"... They're all gone, Sasuke. They won't be coming back. You're alone."

"No..."

"There's very little left of them but you're going to have to identify them anyway."

"Stop- stop it!"

"Anyway," said the voice, a brief flutter of pink coming into view. "Sweet dreams, Sasuke-kun."

"STOP!"

* * *

"STOP, STOP, STOP-!"

A sharp sting. A tingling aftermath. He'd been slapped harshly across the cheek.

He lurched up, thrashing around and pushing everything he could feel out of his way until he found the wall and pressed himself against his, eyes darting around the dim box room. There were three blurred shapes in his line of sight and he got into a defensive stance, ready to attack if they should try first.

"Uchiha!" snapped one of the shapes. "Are you awake?!"

His breath caught in his throat and he gave a gasp out, bordering on hysterical. He pinched the bridge of his nose and cringed, squatting down and letting out a shaky breath.

His threadbare composure completely degenerated into a massive panic attack.

* * *

When Sakura Haruno sped through the aisle towards him, Sasuke was at a loss. What was _she _doing here? This was _her _fault. She was being followed by another female, one who was definitely older, had short black hair and a kind face. He didn't want _that _either. _**Sympathy. **_

Sakura sat down, leaning over slightly and reaching out but he slid his hands across the table, pretending not to notice and kept his focus offset to the side. He could see Sakura grimace in his peripheral vision and before she decided to play nice and soothe him, he snapped.

"_You _made me remember the monsters," he whispered, clenching his fingers up into fists. When he finally turned his attention to her, she looked puzzled. _Bitch_.

"What do you mean, Sasuke-kun?" she asked. How dare so talk so familiarly to him?

"Why are you asking!? Stop being so _nice _about everything!"

"I haven't done anything!" she snapped, slamming her palm on the table. Sasuke jumped slightly at her defiance. He was always surprised when she stood up for herself.

"You were there - you told me they were never coming back!"

"Who isn't?!"

"You- you _said_! You told me they were dead! My family!"

"Sasuke! Idiot! I wasn't there!"

Sasuke stared at her for a moment before averting his gaze to the table. He was so confused: he remembered it being her voice in his memories telling her he was all alone and no one was there for him anymore. He even recalled the shade of her hair. He couldn't see her though because he's...

"I'm not blind," he breathed out, running his fingers through his hair.

"... What?"

"I... I thought I was blind. And you were talking, you told me... you told me..."

"You had a nightmare, Sasuke... and I know you'd like to be invulnerable," she said, sliding forward on her chair slightly and nudging his chin up to look at her. "But you've got a lot of shadows behind you and even the best of us can get scared," she smiled warmly. He much preferred this Sakura. Being on the receiving end of her rage was terrifying.

He was a horrible person. He was surprised she was still there, and he was sure if he was someone else, she'd have turned tail and left him to fester in his nightmares... _Nightmare. _Of course it was a nightmare. Sakura would've been a child, like he was, at the time his parents died. And Itachi wasn't even _dead _like his dreams would have him believe. Sakura lived with him, still-alive-Itachi, and looked after him whilst he, Sasuke, still-alive-Sasuke, couldn't.

Sakura was compassionate to the point of it almost being overbearing but he kind of liked overbearing. Though right now, he didn't deserve that kind of attention. He deserved to be struck on the cheek again and abandoned because he'd just accused the sweet thing he'd ever known of being a total bitch and unjustly seethed at her for nothing at all. But she was so understanding and so he was let off the hook too easily for his liking. He wanted to be blamed, and told how cruel he was.

She'd even just called him-

"The best?" he scoffed.

"I really admire you, you know? You've got more than enough reasons to have lost your mind. You're rough round the edges and a bit grumpy," she giggled, earning a glare. "But I think you're..." she blushed abruptly. "You're cool," she mumbled.

"Cool?" he guffawed. He was expecting a bit more than being told he was 'cool' from the way that speech was going. Sakura shrugged.

"I was fawning a bit. Sorry."

Sasuke couldn't help chuckling slightly. That was true, she was starting to go a bit overboard. He was definitely expecting a long drawn out speech. But he didn't mind it, exactly. It wasn't that he wanted to hear how _wonderful _he was, but rather that he believed she really did feel the way she said she did. Normally these kinds of things were said by pushy girls who didn't know the first thing about him. Sakura knew a lot about him.

He felt even worse now. He didn't know as much about her as what she knew about him. He'd been quite unfair to her, overall. Pushed his wants and expectations on to her and she didn't even ask for the same in return. What if - _she _needed help with her homework? _She _wanted a cuddle? _She _had dead relatives who's memory tore _her _to pieces? _She _wanted to be somewhere other than a dingy cell room? _She _was tired at 2am in the morning and wanted to go back to sleep and put some bad dreams behind her?

He'd done wrong. He was used to that but this time he wasn't going to shy away from what needed to be done. This wasn't something to just brush away, like various other mistakes he'd made in the past (_always, always, always him_). He gathered up his courage and focused on the sole soul who mattered right now.

"I'm sorry, Sakura. I'm so sorry."

If there was any hostility left in her from being yelled at by him the way she had been, it was gone now. He'd say sorry forever if it made her look the way she looked now. Relieved. Sincerely forgiving.

"Sasuke, this is Shizune. She's a doctor, she called me up when the guards called to say they had an inmate in distress who just so happened to be you. She wants to just go through some things with you, see about your well-being. When you're done, I'll take you back to your cell and stay as long as you need to get back to sleep."

Sasuke just nodded. That sounded incredibly appealing right now.

* * *

Sakura held the door open for Sasuke as he finished off with Shizune, even thanking her for her help. She stifled a giggle as he came to her side and took the door, letting her pass first.

As they ambled down the corridor, side by side, Sasuke leaned into her slightly. He looked sluggish. Sakura clutched his arm and fully supported him on their way down to his room. He was almost falling asleep right where he stood and didn't even notice when they were stood outside his cell. He blinked, dazed, as Sakura opened the door for them both and pushed him inside gently, closing the door behind her for privacy. Privacy that turned out to be invaluable.

Sakura gasped as Sasuke yanked her wrist in his direction out of the blue, her body catching up and following the lead. She fell against him lightly, unable to catch up with events as he hooked one arm around her hips and clutched her hand with the other. He embraced her, his head falling on her shoulder. Bewildered but happy, she reached up and secured her arms around his neck, tugging his hair gently.

She'd figured it out. The reason he enjoyed holding on so tight and curling up this way. He'd been starved of the sensation for so long and no one had come forward to soothe him so sincerely. And now he had it, he craved it relentlessly.

They remained still for a long time, relaxing into each other. Sasuke got restless though, and turned his head slightly towards her face, itching to go a step further. He kissed her cheek, squeezing her as she jolted slightly from the action. Another light peck to the corner of her lips until she turned in just enough to allow him to poise his lips to hers.

He pressed down firmly on her lips, pulling them to his own with the lightest force he could muster. He wanted to act so much more wantonly but he was so sleepy. He lifted one eyelid slightly and peeped through clouding lashes to watch her response, happy to see she was just as content with this moment as he was. He kissed a touch more fervently before dropping his head back down, smiling as her lips smeared past his and against his nose briefly.

She drew in a breath to talk.

"Don't... don't ask," he rasped. "I don't _know_."

"... No," she sighed out with an enchanting laugh, kissing his temple. "Thank you."

Sasuke replayed the scene over and over, committing it to memory. When the morning came, she wouldn't be by his side anymore. But he wanted to wake up feeling lighter, and begged for the memory of what just happened to be the content of his dreams instead. If his mind could grant him that simple wish, then he wouldn't miss her so much when he awoke alone.

Sakura wanted the moment to last forever, but he had to sleep. So did she. But things were happy now and she liked it when things were good. Good and peaceful. Her heart broke.

When the morning came, she had to be the bearer of bad news.


	11. Chapter 11

_Author's Note: *bows* I return. In some semblance of good health. To all who have favourited, followed and reviewed up to this point, thank you so much.  
_

* * *

**_The Delinquent Uchiha _**

**_Chapter 11 _**

* * *

_They sat facing each other. Two sturdy armchairs pulled up together with the seats touching, creating a kind of laying or reclining space. Sakura's feet were rested at one end, Itachi's at the other, their bodies facing towards each other and their eyes locked. _

_"Did you know..?" she asked quietly. Itachi closed his eyes and took a sip of tea in a weary fashion. _

_"I suspected the odds were never in my favor. We can always wish for things, but we can't always have them."_

_"You're going to destroy him."_

_"... What about you, Sakura-chan?"_

_"You're breaking my heart..."_

* * *

Sakura felt so guilty. Guilty that she couldn't just tell him herself. It was simple; she said she was sorry, she dished out all the condolences she had to offer, she says she wishes there were something she could do, she'll be there to hold him up... but she wanted to deny this was happening. She wanted all of these things for herself too in a selfish kind of way. She wasn't coping. Sasuke was going to be in pieces. They were going to be shattered together.

They were outside Officer Kakashi's room. He was in there having a discussion with Tsunade. Sasuke and Sakura were sat outside the door on hard, cold plastic chairs. The uncomfortable texture felt amplified against Sakura's skin as she waited in dread. She couldn't bring herself to talk and jumped out of her skin when Sasuke was the one to break the silence.

"I don't get it, Sak. What's going on?" he asked. Sakura gazed at him, her eyes watering. _Don't call me Sak... it's too endearing. You're going to hate me. _She shook her head, bottom lip wobbling.

* * *

_"Can I give you a task, for the future?" he asked. Sakura gulped._

_"Could you... Try sound less fatalistic?"_

_"I'm being realistic, Sakura-chan. This is important to me."_

_"Of course I'll do it, idiot!" she sniffled. _

_Itachi beguiled her with a smirk and she almost forgot her premature suffering. She watched as he reached down the neck of his top, pulling up a chain from under the fabric and pulling it over his head. He took her hand, drawing it towards him and scrunched the chain up, lacing it into her palm and closing her fist around it._

_"That's for you and Sasuke. You have to be together when you use it."_

_Sakura opened up her palm. A raven pendant, elegant and sophisticated in design. Attached to it was a key. Regular. Plain. Overwhelmingly important. She smiled at this trinket that wholly embodied the man before her._

_"But, what's it for..?"_

* * *

Sasuke hated this. Sakura crying - what was _that _all about anyway? She'd just turned up late morning all weepy and told him to come along. He was a bit dazed, still tired from the day before. It turned out - he'd even slept through a small earthquake somehow, he'd found out. His dream was still haunting him too. He just wanted to hide under his covers all day and maybe drag Sakura with him. If she consented. Or maybe, even if she didn't consent. He'd have his way regardless. He was used to getting his demands met.

He tugged the back of his naturally windswept hair in frustration before glancing over at Sakura who had some steady tears licking down her cheeks. He flicked one off with a brush of his finger and sighed, squeezing her shoulder.

"This isn't because I kissed you, is it? You're not getting me done for sexual harassment?"

"Sasuke!" she laughed, virtually against her will. "I wouldn't be here if that was the case."

"Just checking I wasn't _that _bad."

"Why _did _you do it..?"

"I still don't know. I did owe you a proper kiss anyway," he said, cautiously wrapping his little finger around hers, as though making a pinky promise, before consuming her hand up within his. He raised both, kissing the back of her hand before setting it down. "But I think I have a more compelling reason than that."

_I really, really like you. You're kind of __**captivating**__. You're smart. You're not a brainless fawning idiot who only wants me because you'd have good looking babies and bragging rights. And that's not even scratching the surface. Best of all, I was WRONG about you and I don't even mind. I'd date you... I... I would date you! Or rather, I will date you._

"But Sasuke..." she said, trying to pull her hand away. She pursed her lips, brows knitting together. He'd have called the look 'guilty' if he had to label it with anything. "Sasuke, there's something I need to tell you."

"Don't tell me you already have a boyfriend..."

"B-boy...? No! Sasuke, it's nothing to do with relationships... it's... it's more personal than that. It's Itachi-"

"Itachi!?"

"May I interrupt?" asked Officer Kakashi, clapping his hands. They both jumped, hands severing their connection. He'd been stood there for how long? And they hadn't noticed. "Will you come in, please?"

Sasuke stood up without hesitance but Sakura stayed where she was, staring at the floor. He shook his head, trailing inside. He'd talk to her later about whatever got her so wound up, for now he wanted to know why he was being called to talk with _her _mother and the tardy liaison officer.

"Sakura... it's okay," said Kakashi, putting a hand on her arm. He pulled her up lightly and guided her down into a seat next to Sasuke. She couldn't think of anywhere _worse_ to sit. She wanted to go sit in the corner of the universe furthest away. Sasuke nudged her with his foot though, frowning.

"Sasuke Uchiha" stated Tsunade, leaning forward from Kakashi's seat at the desk. "My name is Tsunade, I'm a doctor. I don't know if you know anything about me."

"Sakura told me bits and pieces," he nodded, unsure as to why he was being spoken to.

"Well, I don't know if had ever come up between you two but on occasion, your brother has had appointments with myself."

"Yeah, she said..."

Tsunade sighed, tapping her fingers on the mahogany expanse before her. Sasuke felt sick, he knew he was about to get told something he didn't want to hear. Should he have given Sakura chance to talk outside? She'd just mentioned Itachi herself.

"It's been agreed, we've put all arrangements in place. At the end of next week, you're going to be going home - for an indefinite period of time. You'll have to finish all of your sentence but we feel it's best you take this reprieve."

He didn't want to imagine why he was being given that opportunity. Circumstances had to be incredible and uncontrollable for those kinds of chances to be granted. He heard Sakura stifle a sob beside him and tried to pretend it wasn't part of what was going on in this room - that she was just randomly hormonal and it had nothing to do with what was going on _right now. _He found his lungs restricting the air he was allowed to take in and his breath kept catching on his throat, killing any questions before they passed over his lips.

"After the earth quake last night, Sakura asked me to come by and check on your brother whilst she came to see you. Some preliminary checks caused me enough worry to have him sent to hospital, and I pulled my weight as much as possible to have him seen to in record time. It's not fair... it's not fair he was born without a fighting chance but Sasuke, I'm sorry to say he doesn't have long to live..."

Sasuke zoned out as Tsunade began to explain something about the scarring on his lungs or something like that maybe. He briefly heard the word 'cancer' within her explanation but he wasn't absorbing a single word of it. His world had just collapsed in on itself. He allowed himself indignity. His jaw went slack and his head dropped down. His breathing was out of control - the very same sensation he'd experienced the night before.

"Kaa-san!" cried Sakura, shaking her head. "Please stop... I'm sorry... I'm sorry!" she whimpered, standing up and knocking her chair over, putting her arms around Sasuke's shoulders and resting her head on top of his.

Tsunade shook her head, understanding completely. She hated having to tell someone so young that he was going to be alone, and worse - her daughter was emotionally involved in this as well. It was tearing at her own heart more than any case ever had. She glanced over at Kakashi who's lone eye held a grim and tired look. She stood, jerking her thumb to the door and the officer understood his order - '_Leave them_'. They walked in to the corridor, the door shutting quietly behind them.

It'd taken a while, after, for Sasuke to acknowledge Sakura holding onto him. He placed his hands against her arms when he finally shook out of his despondency. She jumped under his touch and he squeezed her upper arms firmly, wincing. He was sure that the expression she wore was an echo of his own torment.

"Is this what you were trying to tell me?" he croaked. She sobbed, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth and nodded.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know he had cancer too! I just knew things were bad, I didn't know-"

"Sakura, have you ever seen anyone else with lung cancer before? Or even all the other problems he has?"

"N-no?"

"Sakura!" he snapped, taking fistfuls of her shirt. "Are you some miracle, human diagnostic machine?"

"No!"

"Then how could you have ever known!? These things don't pop up and announce themselves! I don't care you didn't know! The world's best oncologist couldn't have looked and said for sure and you're just 16, Sakura! You're 16... stop trying to take the weight of this. If you're blaming yourself, somehow.. then stop. Stop, because it's annoying... I don't need a know-it-all..."

Sakura felt her heart sink. It was heavier than she could handle now. But Sasuke traced the shell of her ear with his fingers before reaching into her hair and playing idly with the pink expanses. When their eyes met, she felt like he was looking deep within her somehow. He looked fragile and needy. He was one to keep his guard up at all times but right now he couldn't sustain his indifference.

"Just be yourself. Without the blame... I'm not stupid enough to believe you're not hurting too. You wouldn't be in this state."

_The state I'm in - _he reflected.

He couldn't catch up with how quickly everything had changed. Not moments before, he was stood outside this room, teasing her and on the brink of asking her out. He'd woken up from his dreams, still fantasizing about how to go about it. His dreams didn't entail him making a slip-up which made him sound like he'd claimed rights to go out with her but it was good enough. Hell of a lot better than the soppy declaration his inwardly romantic mind had apparently decided on. He was a detainee in a juvie center. He didn't have the luxury of making big gestures at the moment anyway.

Now, he wanted to cling to her because - _you're all I'll have - _he felt so lost. He felt so swept under his emotions and he wasn't used to it at all. He was well acquainted with anger and annoyance. But heartache and misery? There'd only been one time in his life he'd felt so awash with those things and his mind had cruelly reminded him of that time last night before dropping this onto him. He was spent up and he needed an anchor. _Sakura. Sakura be my anchor. Be my center of gravity. Keep me grounded, keep me safe. Keep me in one piece. _

He closed his eyes and the first tears fell from his unguarded eyes. They oozed down the plains of his cheeks and pelted off the bottom of his jaw onto Sakura's hands in his lap. She stretched her fingers out, glancing at the splatter on her skin before cupping his jaw, resting her forehead against his. He let out a spluttering, shaken breath and permitted himself to cry just a little more. Sakura would never breathe a word to anyone about this secret he was sharing with her; that privately, he was weak.

"It's not fair... it's not fair..." he chanted, over and over. He was only just beginning to feel some level of satisfaction with his life. "... It's not fair..."

* * *

_Itachi chuckled, mischief gleaming in those corvid-like eyes. Sakura shied away a little, feeling overwhelmed with concern for the look she was being given. He cupped the back of her neck and rested his forehead against hers, smirking. She could hear his chest rattling at this proximity. _

_"I'm taking that secret with me until the very end, Sakura-chan. But don't worry. It'll make itself obvious." _


	12. Chapter 12

To readers of this story,

I am so sorry I haven't been keeping on top of writing these stories but please don't think I've abandoned them. I just have a couple of things going on at once and keeping up with everything is pretty difficult. Deadlines, health, food cravings etc.

I'll be back to antic writing imminently, I miss this little leisurely hobby ) :

I hope you understand and I hope to see you soon,

Rose~


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